Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for an automated windshield wiper system, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on July 22nd, 2019, published on August 9th, 2022, and assigned serial number 11407382.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford – along with a number of other automakers – has offered rain-sensing windshield wipers on many of its vehicles for years now, which automatically turn on the wipers when moisture is detected on the windshield, then turn them off when it’s clear. The automaker has also offered a windshield wiper de-icer on many of its models, though that particular feature has since been removed from many of them recently. Regardless, a Ford patent was filed for heated windshield wiper blades earlier this year, and now, this new patent filing builds upon the automaker’s existing rain-sensing wiper system by creating something of an ice-sensing system.
Much like rain-sensing wipers, this Ford patent outlines an idea for a system that is capable of sensing when frozen precipitation is accumulating on a windshield, then deploy the wipers automatically at a pre-calculated interval to prevent it from accumulating. The vehicle is able to measure the ambient temperature and receive weather data, then react accordingly, too.
On top of all that, this system would also be able to use a vehicle’s interior temperature to determine if it’s parked, at which point it can automatically deactivate the wipers. The system would also turn off automatically when it has been running for a predetermined amount of time, as well as when the power source state of charge dips below a predetermined level.
Ultimately, this particular patent makes a lot of sense given the popularity and prevalence of rain-sensing wipers in automobiles these days, particularly for those that live in cold climates that see considerable winter precipitation each year.
We’ll have more on this and all Ford patents soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford trademark news, Ford business news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Really, if you do not know when to turn your wipers on then take the bus, you shouldn’t be piloting a vehicle.
Ford spend some time and money making a crack resistant windshield, something everyone could use and really need.
Tim your right on — now only if someone would address the rust issues in the rust belt – it’s sad to see $ 50 k vehicles rusting away in the rust belt