New Wiping Technology Increases Visibility and Reduces Driver Fatigue
Most of us take the modern day windshield wiper for granted. After all, flick a switch on the stalk or dash and for the most part they clean off rain and muck fairly effectively, with nowhere near the squeaky commotion produced by the hard rubber wipers that came before.
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| A Mercedes-Benz C-Class undergoes extreme winter testing for the innovative new aero windscreen wiper. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
Still, there's always room for improvement, a belief that causes Mercedes-Benz to push the innovation envelope further and further with every new model.
That next model will be the 2005 C-Class, due to arrive in dealerships across the country this spring. Along with a long list of upgrades and new advancements, the C will feature the automaker's recently developed aero windscreen wiper.
How does it deviate from a conventional wiper system? Rather than attaching the rubber wiping strip to a metal or plastic jointed holder, the aero wiper features a single-section rubber strip design, with an integral spoiler and sprung rails positioned on the outside to curve the blade to the windscreen.
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| The new aero wipers feature an integrated spoiler and sprung rails to optimize forward visibility, and effectually safety. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
An integrated spoiler and sprung rails? The spoiler takes advantage of air pressure to add force to the blade and maximize contact to the windshield, the opposite of the usual occurrence of air getting under and lifting the blade. The aero wiper also uses the sprung rails to deliver an even pressure across the wiper blade.
In the end the new aero wiper delivers a much cleaner windshield, according to Mercedes, without the additional icing problems that occur with conventional system.
What's more, the new blade is almost half the overall height of the outgoing blade, helping to reduce wind induced wiper noise.
To optimize the new technology the next-generation C-Class features an efficient twin-arm wiper system, with a specially designed lift mechanism that maximizes swept area coverage.
When all is said and done the new C-Class should be one of the safest vehicles with regards to forward visibility, simultaneously reducing driver fatigue.