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On short notice I could not find an article that highlighted this, but scientists have already replicated this effect and already use it on airplanes.
The effect is not obvious because you miss it in the confusion of the wings. Mako sharks have a rough surface that has valleys and hills that traps a layer of water against the scales. The water-water drag is 10% less drag than that of smooth surfaces(fiberglass boat hull). They already manufacture the crap it comes in big adhesive sheets that are applied to airplanes along the wings and fuselage.
Feathers aero properties do the same thing trapping a layer of fluid(air this time) against their body to decrease drag. As many have already said feathers also have the ability to manipulate on the fly to take advantage of air currents.
Cars could do this but it would be extremely complex and require lots of processing power. Birds don't usually get the advantage of having other objects moving at the same speed around them unless they are travelling long range in a flock. Cars would be able to take advantage of vacuums created by cars in front of them by flattening out the front to provide a larger surface to attach to the vacuum or foil out when in the lead.
So behind a semi you would look like |> and then otherwise you would look like this <>.
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