You run into more rain when you drive faster, why doesn't wiper speed modulate based on vehicle speed it seems like it would be a significant improvement on windshield wiper tech.

  • Omega_Haxors [they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    The first prototype had the motor connected directly to the windshield wipers. Worked fine when you went slow, but as soon as you hit the highway you could kiss your wipers goodbye.

  • Coolkidbozzy [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    it would be pretty wild if it was just drizzling but it was going at max speed

    what would make sense to me is a moisture sensor to make it go faster if there was more moisture per second

    • red_stapler [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      That tech exists on some cars, but they use a photocell rather than a moisture sensor.

        • furryanarchy [comrade/them,they/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Yeah, older bmws use an infrared light and sensor that detects the water on the windshield and adjusts the wipers till it's perfect.

          • gaycomputeruser [she/her]
            hexagon
            M
            ·
            3 years ago

            Yeah this seems like a really simple solution that basically costs nothing. A feature I'd actually pay for.

    • gaycomputeruser [she/her]
      hexagon
      M
      ·
      3 years ago

      I was kinda figuring you'd set the "power" setting to how rainy it was and then it would modulate wiper speed based on that.

  • MaryBailey [none/use name]
    ·
    3 years ago

    nice cars have rain sensing wipers that come on automatically and it's such a pleasant feature

    • gaycomputeruser [she/her]
      hexagon
      M
      ·
      3 years ago

      It seems like it would cost basically nothing and be a genuine nice feature.

  • Tofu_Lewis [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Some cars have fancy sensors and computers that actually do that.

    • gaycomputeruser [she/her]
      hexagon
      M
      ·
      3 years ago

      It's just like, that's not necessary for solving this issue, it's a solved problem that costs very little and actually improves the user's experience and makes driving less distracting.

  • OgdenTO [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Related question, why don't headlights automatically go on when the wipers are on?

    • ssjmarx [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Related, why don't headlights just stay on all the time?

      • furryanarchy [comrade/them,they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        They do in some countries and it's so fucking annoying. You have to turn the car off to turn the headlights off. Just wanna stay warm waiting for someone in winter? Fuck you, you can't without being an asshole leaving your lights on.

          • Abraxiel
            ·
            3 years ago

            Not necessarily. If there's a stationary car facing you with its lights on, it just kinda blinds you.

    • gaycomputeruser [she/her]
      hexagon
      M
      ·
      3 years ago

      It's weird cause this would just be a software thing. They already have all the equipment they'd need in new cars (a microphone, general computer, all the systems are computer controlled) and it would pretty much just be software, right? It'd be super nice if they could change the eq for when people are talking to automatically make it more audible when on highways.

    • pppp1000 [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Some cars have this. The volume and bass increases when you drive faster