After Over A Century, We Eventually Have Wiper Blade Innovations That Can Really Be Recognised.
Superficially, Car Wiper Blades seem the same today as they looked when Mary Anderson first patented them in 1903. Since then, there have been quite a number of innovations along the way, such as Vacuum and then Electric Power replacing hand cranks, new materials in the form of Silicone Wiper Blades, Rain Sensitive Controls and many others.
Yet, until the last few years, a quick glance at Car Wiper Blades could easily leave you with the impression that nothing much has changed. This all changed lately with the introduction of Flat Wiper Blades
Lack of space between the trailing edge of the bonnet and the windscreen, cost restraints, product reliability, aero-dynamic drag, appearance, pedestrian impact legal requirements, have all pushed car designers & their counterparts in the component industry to try something totally new. At last here is an innovation that we can see; Flat Wiper Blades or Beam Wiper Blades as they’re often called within the manufacturing companies.
Serious campaigns by car makers, are under way to dramatically cut down car fuel consumption. This means windscreens are becoming more raked back, and this calls for longer Wiper Blades, which therefore need more powerful motors & transmission systems, all at a reduced weight & occupying less space than before.
Flat Wiper Blades have a lower profile than conventional Car Wiper Blades, making them more aesthetically impressive as well as making them aerodynamically much more efficient, both in terms of reduced drag and improved contact with the windscreen, especially at higher speeds. Flat Wiper Blades don’t have joints that could seize or clog with ice and snow in freezing conditions. This ensures a much safer and clearer wipe on those cold dark and dangerous frozen mornings. If you combine the technology of flat Wiper Blades with Silicone Wiper Blades, you will have an excellent winter wiper blade, thanks to the jointless design & silicone’s low temperature flexibility and resistance to the solvents used to stop screen wash freezing.
Most European vehicle makers are specifying Flat Wiper Blades on all new model launches, and have been doing so for several years now. At first motorists were faced with some horrible prices for replacing Flat Wiper Blades because there was no competition to force the prices down to acceptable levels. However in the last 2 years, we’ve seen many competitors coming into the market place with Flat Wiper Blades both as replacements for the Original Equipment, and also as retrofits which allow owners of vehicles with classic Wiper Blades to update the looks, Performance and safety of their car.
Maybe the next important innovation will be the 1st car to be equipped with Silicone Wiper Blades as original equipment. The average working life of a rubber wiper blade is six months, although the average European motorist will make his Wiper Blades last at least 3 times that. Silicone Wiper Blades typically last three to five times longer than rubber Wiper Blades, and can be bought at similar or slightly lower prices than premium rubber Wiper Blades.
