At first glance, Car Wiper Blades appear just the same nowadays as they did when Mary Anderson first patented them in 1903. Since then, there have been quite a few advances along the way, such as Vacuum and then Electric Power overtaking hand cranks, new materials in the form of Silicone Wiper Blades, Rain Sensitive Controls etc.
Although, until very recently, a cursory glance at Car Wiper Blades could easily leave you with the impression that nothing much has changed. This all altered lately with the launch of Flat Wiper Blades
Lack of space between the trailing edge of the bonnet and the windscreen, cost limitations, product reliability, aero-dynamic drag, image, pedestrian impact legal requirements, have all pushed car designers & their counterparts in the component industry to invent something completely new. Finally there’s an advance that we can see; Flat Wiper Blades or Beam Wiper Blades as they’re often referred to within the manufacturing companies.
Serious projects by vehicle manufacturers, are in hand to significantly cut down car fuel consumption. This means windscreens are becoming more sloped, and this calls for longer Wiper Blades, which therefore need more powerful motors & transmission systems, all at a reduced weight & taking up less room than previously.
Flat Wiper Blades have a lower profile than traditional Car Wiper Blades, making them more aesthetically striking as well as making them aerodynamically much more efficient, both in terms of reducing drag and improving contact with the windscreen, especially at elevated speeds. Flat Wiper Blades don’t have joints that are liable to seize or clog with ice and snow in cold weather. This guarantees 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 have an outstanding winter wiper blade, thanks to the jointless design & silicone’s low temperature flexibility and resistance to the solvents used to prevent screen wash freezing.
Most European manufacturers now specify Flat Wiper Blades on all new models, and have been doing so for several years now. At first car owners were faced with some crazy prices for renewing Flat Wiper Blades because there was no competition to drive the prices down to reasonable levels. Moreover in the last 2 years, we’ve seen many manufacturers coming into the market place with Flat Wiper Blades both as replacements for the Original Equipment, and also as retrofits which give a chance to owners of cars with classic Wiper Blades to update the looks, Performance and safety of their car.
Perhaps the next important innovation will be the first vehicle 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 vehicle owner will make his Wiper Blades last at least 3 times that. Silicone Wiper Blades typically last 3 to 5 times longer than rubber Wiper Blades, and can be bought at similar or slightly lower prices than quality rubber Wiper Blades.
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