Toronto, Ontario — Because they can’t just simply be like the other kids, Tesla has announced the approval of a new windshield wiper design that eschews the sweeping arc motion of your grandpa’s wipers in favour of something slightly higher tech.
Tesla’s new “electromagnetic windshield wiper system” instead uses a linear actuator at the bottom of the windshield that pushes the wiper back and forth across a horizontal track.
The automaker says this design is more energy efficient, produces less friction and is less susceptible to wear and corrosion.
Tesla also says that the full-length wiper described in the patent allows for better glass coverage and creates a better seal between the wiper and the windshield than traditional designs.
Additionally, when the wiper is not in use, Tesla says that it can be retracted horizontally into the bottom of the windshield, in order to improve aerodynamics.
Interestingly, current Cybertruck prototypes show a vehicle with an entirely different approach to its wiper system, as the still unreleased truck has been shown to feature one large wiper protruding from the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has admitted on Twitter in the past that designing an adequate wiper system for a windshield as massive as the Cybertruck’s is expected to be has been a significant struggle for company engineers.
“The wiper is what troubles me most. No easy solution. Deployable wiper that stows in front trunk would be ideal, but complex,” Musk wrote in a December 2021 tweet.
Tesla’s full patent filing for the “electromagnetic windshield wiper system” can be found here.
