The techno geek community is abuzz with the news that McLaren’s chief designer, Frank Stevens, has hinted that they are looking to replace the venerable rubber windshield wiper with an invisible ultrasonic force field that will deflect rain, snow and insects away from the glass.
Several tech websites, including Geek.com, are currently speculating about how the system would work and listing the many advantages that such a system would offer. These include better aerodynamics, lack of smearing and smudging and an end to those pesky jerks at the mall who like to stuff fliers under your wipers while you are shopping. Although owning a McLaren is out of reach for most us in the proletariat the expectation is that once the technology is fully developed it will trickle down market in due time.
“the venerable rubber windshield wiper with an invisible ultrasonic force field that will deflect rain, snow and insects away from the glass.”
I feel like somehow Professor X is involved in this.
Or Scotty.
In their case it’s Prof. M, actually.
Guaranteed that the NHTSA will have a fit over this. Damned babysitters.
How does this affect the bird crap, wet leaves, and pollen found on my parked car?
Have your butler wipe those off before you depart.
That’s the internet for today, folks.
If you don’t have a secure garage to park in whenever you drive your supercar somewhere, you’re not doing it right.
Yeah, this trickle-down technology isn’t going to trickle that far then, I take it.
Maybe not, the guy who patented interval wipers got very rich off it in royalties. If this technology could spread downscale, that alone might be enough to make McLaren profitable, since it’s so small …
Raise deflector shields!
I hereby volunteer to test this technology’s resistance to Sierra Cement.
I use ” Rain-X ” and it’s simply amazing how well it works .
Slamming the door makes the rain droplets roll off the glass then as soon as you move off , the wind blows the entire windshield clean . try it , you’ll _love_ it .
-Nate
Amazing it is. Passenger once told me I had no need for wipers, could turn them off. At speed the droplets roll up.
I have no experience with Rain-X, although I’ve known about its existence for eons and have heard friends swear by it.
Functionally, is its effect any different from simply waxing the windshield? That makes droplets behave the same way, but makes the wipers smear.
I learned of it when I came from Cuba, needless to say never saw anything like that before but have used a wax intended for planes back there. No smearing at all with RainX. Visibility is improved. You can try treating only driver’s side… It’s worth trying. Just make sure glass in clean (really clean) before you treat it.
Up? Here in Australia, the droplets roll down.
And CDs turn in the opposite direction… I used to be blond but colored my hair :)
Some cars have built-in water deflection in the glass. My GS had this in 2001. I didn’t need the wipers except in heavy rain, and water always rolled off the side glass.
I used Rain-X when it first came out and it worked well at first but then it did not work so great after awhile and kind of messed up the windshield so I stopped using it. I am assuming it is better now?
I had no issues in 8 years: same windshield and different bottles (I also use it to treat Lexan covering vandal proof dome cameras). Ford truck, no embedded metal flakes. A Panamera owner told me once his heated windshield became foggy after he applied it. No idea if temperature changes its properties since it’s a hydrophobic silicone polymer. I always apply to cool glass, never while directly exposed to sunlight.
In other news they hinted they might hire a car designer instead of “just melting stuff in the microwave”.
Does it come with a force field windshield washer? That could be a major drawback, otherwise…
Seems to me the field would need to be powered, if it’s ultrasonic.
Thus, car off = no field, unless you want your battery drained dead. So things are going to land on and stick to/dry on the windscreen before you use the car again. Then you have no spray and wipers to get it off.
Also, thought comes to mind – wipers = not that expensive plastic and rubber. Force field shield repair = very expensive science.
I just don’t see how it’s worth it. If you’re that concerned with aero properties, tuck them under the hood like many manufacturers have been doing since the late 70s.
To some people, including those shopping for new McLarens, it is well worth it to be able to say “my car has a force field”
“I just don’t see how it’s worth it.”
On a Maclaren?
That’s like saying the heated bathroom floors on a G650 are just one more thing to break. I think you’ve entirely missed the point.
This is gonna drive dogs INSANE!
From an aerodynamics standpoint, I’m wondering if a cushion of air might actually make the car more slippery. If so, they should implement this system on every outer body panel!
“There is no such thing as a fool-proof system. Someone will make a better fool, tomorrow.” @LoneWolffe
If the dog is tall enough to pee on the windshield, that’s one impressive dog.
Well, a Great Dane could do it, but I was just talking about the ultrasound, like blowing a dog whistle whenever you start the car.
… immediately solving “no spray” issue mentioned somewhere in this thread :-)
I remember one of Acura’s concept cars – I think it was the 3rd gen TL – featured a wiperless windshield that used air channeling to keep rain off the windshield.
Kudos if McLaren can figure it all out.
Just McLaren’s way of keeping up with Amazon’s parcel-delivering flying hair-eaters and Google’s fightin’ robo gorillas, who, even as we speak are learning to drive Google’s Cloud Car.
In other news, Tesla announced the Model X with a starting price of $8995, a range of 1000 miles, and optional levitation module to soar over the crowd. Shouting into a megaphone before a cheering multitude, Elon Musk prophesied: “All other methods of transportation have been rendered moot, and yes, mute. My Earth Tunnel is no longer required.” After this announcement, Musk calmly combed his locks, and sipped a can of his newest drink, Aviation Lite.
Funny as hell, man.!
Will this deflect small rocks that seem to crack the windshield?
Can they crank up the wattage and aim it forward to deflect pedestrians?
Even better, deflect left lane bandits.
Can a Flux Capacitor be far behind?
Finally, I can die happy, knowing that the pinnacle of human ingenuity has been reached…
Finally, someone invents a force field and the first thing they think of is windshield wipers? Maybe when the perpetual motion machine is perfected it can be used on the moon roof.