Tesla files patent application for laser-based windscreen wipers

Trust Tesla to think of laser-based windscreen wipers! Yes, the electric vehicle (EV) specialist has filed a patent application for them, and we think they might be a perfect fit for the upcoming Cybertruck.

Recently made public, Tesla’s wide-ranging patent application indicates the system would detect debris on the windscreen, possibly via cameras and image processing, and then laser it off to clean the glass.

While the idea of laser beams shooting presumably from underneath a bonnet seems dangerous, they would do so “at a calibrated pulse rate” that’s safe for humans.

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That said, Tesla is also developing electromagnetic windscreen wipers, which would use a single arm to clean the glass, as confirmed by a separate patent application.

This system would feature tracks at the top and bottom of the windscreen that have electromagnets within, which would pull the wiper back and forth, potentially with more pressure than a traditional dual-arm set-up with rotary mechanisms.

Either way, the aim of the game is making Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving system as functional as possible, with it reliant on the aforementioned cameras and image processing operating without impairment, which is often caused by debris on the windscreen.

And considering the Cybertruck was revealed without windscreen wipers – and side mirrors, among other key features – either solution could be a viable option for the dual-cab ute.