Tesla patents an electromagnetic windshield wiper so autonomous driving cameras can see the road well

The wiper washer They are as old as the car itself, but its principle has not changed much since then. An articulated arm that cleans the windshield. But in Tesla, they believe it can be improved and some Tesla engineers have Patented a new windshield wiper system It offers the advantage of cleaning the entire windshield and not just a partial area as it is today.

The patented system by Tesla would remain hidden under the hood when not in use, as in most premium cars, but above all it would clean the entire windshield. Although in practice most systems clean a sufficient area for most conductors, the idea behind the new Tesla system is the need to leave clean the area in which cameras for autonomous driving systems would be located.

According to Tesla's own patent:

“In certain scenarios, a driver or cameras in the vehicle (for example, in the case of assisted and autonomous driving) require a field of vision without obstruction of the route ahead from inside a vehicle. Conventional windshield wiper systems that use multiple windshield wiper blades generally have a crowded design and do not clear enough the windshield, which can hamper the field of vision of the road. ”

Electromagnetic windshield wiper

They also argue that using a mechanical system increases the wear of its components and the consumption of the car and therefore the autonomy of the vehicle. While it is true, it is still something residual. In any case, in Tesla they have devised a system of electromagnetic windshield wiper.

Despite criticizing the use of mechanical parts, Tesla's system would also equip them. According to the patent drawings, the system consists of a rigid arm, with a joint at its base that only serves to hide it under the hood.

The linear movement of the windshield wiper, that is, from left to right and vice versa along the windshield would be obtained by sliding an electromagnetic block on rails.

With increasingly large windshields, as in the Model X, it is more complicated to get the windshield wipers to clean the upper end of the windshield, where the cameras of the driving aids systems are and in the future of autonomous driving.

As with all patents, it does not mean that this system reaches production. And if it arrives, it may be in a different version. As for which cars of the brand would use it, it is impossible to know. It is very common for manufacturers to patent several systems of all kinds every year.