Automatic Windscreen Wipers

Windscreen wipers are essential to safe driving in rain, snow, fog, and even dusty conditions. Whenever you need to clear the windscreen you can just turn them on and they will wipe away whatever is there. But what if you did not even have to turn them on yourself? What if they turned on automatically when it rains? Similar to headlights that turn on when it gets dark enough, these wipers automatically turn on when it is raining. That could be very convenient. You may not have seen or heard anything like that in London, so how do they work?

How Do They Work?

There is a sensor in the windscreen that has LED lights and light collectors. When the windscreen glass is dry the light reflects off the glass and into the collectors. When it gets wet (from rain or any other reason) the lights do not reflect into the collectors as much. When enough light is reflected away from the collectors the windscreen wipers will turn on. The sensors can be set to turn on when there is a certain amount of moisture on the windscreen. There is a program that tells the wipers how fast to swipe by how quick the windscreen gets wet between swipes.

What about a Dirty Windscreen?

In the same way that the sensor can tell when there is rain on the windscreen, it can also tell when the windscreen is dirty. When there is dirt on the windscreen the lights will not reflect back as much and the wipers will turn on until the lights reflect the way they should.

What About When I Get a Car Wash?

In the past, there have been instances where the wipers would turn on when getting a car wash, causing damage to the wipers, wiper motor, and even the windscreen. Since then there have been many upgrades and now there is an activation switch that you have to press to turn the automatic wipers on and off.

What Is so Great About Automatic Wipers?

Having automatic wipers helps the driver concentrate more on driving and less on turning on and off the windscreen wipers. Since it rains quite often in London, these are an excellent addition to the safety features of your car. Studies show that most accidents happen because of driver distractions. But with the automatic wipers you can just turn the sensor on and the wipers will turn on and off as you need them. If a car splashes water on your windscreen your wipers will automatically turn on, wipe it away, and then turn off again. All you have to do is drive the car.

Should I Run out and Get These Installed?

So, do you need to rush out and put automatic wipers on your car? Not really. If you are in the market for a new car and you have the option of getting the automatic windscreen wipers, say yes. They are worth it if they come with the car even if you have to pay a little more. But they are not worth having them installed in a car that does not have them already. It would be expensive and may not work as they would if they were on the car originally. While they are an excellent safety feature for a vehicle, if they are installed aftermarket they may cause more harm than good. If you have any questions about automatic wipers you can call London Car Glass Repair in London for more answers.