The Interesting History Behind Windshield Wipers In Your Car

Every invention results from necessity and a solution to a painstaking problem. The history of windshield wipers, too, started with the dire need for technology like that. Windshield wipers are one of the most overlooked and ignored car components.

However, driving without them is an invitation to chaos! So, don't you feel we need to equip ourselves with the history of this critical invention? Let's dig deeper into the history of windshield wipers!

1903 – The Introduction of Windshield Wipers

History is one thing that only relies on written proofs and records. However, it might be sceptical at times to dig the history. First off, George J. Capewell of Hartford, Connecticut, was behind the invention of windshield wipers. Initially, it was Capewell who introduced the concept of motorized windscreen wipers.

Surprisingly, Mary Anderson is in the records as the inventor of windshield wipers. According to the facts, Anderson travelled in her carriage and had to stop now and then wipe the window. This incident forced her to consider the possibility of mechanical wipers.

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Manual Windshield Wiper

Mary Anderson bags the credits for developing the first functional window wipers in 1903. These traditional wipers were a part of every car back then. Mary Anderson referred to her invention as a “window cleaning device.” Do you know that windshield wipers back then were manually operated?

A handle inside the car was connected to the wipers outside via a lever. The drivers use the handle manually to make the wipers work. But the manual wipers were inconvenient and unsafe. The drivers had to take one of their hands off the steering wheel to operate the wipers.

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Technological Advancements in Windshield

Thankfully, drivers today do not struggle with manual windshield wipers. Upgrades in technology have led to numerous advancements and innovations for even windshield wipers and carmakers have faithfully instituted them.

• One of the initial ideas was to make windshield wipers power operated. One of the early power-operated windshield wipers depended on the engine's manifold and ran on the vacuum. However, this windshield wiper also had its fair share of errors.
• The vacuum in the engine manifold will vary with throttle and speed input and is negligible under full-throttle. Owing to this factor, the speed of windshield wipers was unpredictable. At times, the wipers would stop moving altogether.
• Even though a booster pump was a simple fix to these wipers, hydraulic wipers were the way ahead. The current day vehicles use an electric motor-powered windshield wiper.

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Whatever be the history of windshield wipers, we all can agree that it is impossible to drive without them!