GM patent: smart windshield-wiper control prevents damage
GM patent: intelligent windshield-wiper control that prevents dry scraping
GM patent: smart windshield-wiper control prevents damage
General Motors patents an intelligent windshield-wiper control that blocks starts, prevents dry scraping, reduces blade wear, and auto-resumes for safety.
2025-11-06T20:17:10+03:00
2025-11-06T20:17:10+03:00
2025-11-06T20:17:10+03:00
General Motors has filed a patent for an intelligent windshield-wiper control system that can decide when to switch the wipers on or off. Filed as US 2025/0319845 A1, the application reached the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in April 2024 and was published in October 2025. The named inventor is Michigan-based engineer James Hingst.The idea targets a familiar oversight: drivers forget to turn the wipers off before shutting down the engine. On the next start, the blades can scrape dry glass or drag across ice, risking scratches and premature wear.GM’s approach records the previous wiper state and temporarily blocks activation at the next start. A countdown message on the display lets the driver reengage the wipers manually or keep them on standby.If the vehicle is shifted out of Park and starts moving, the wipers resume automatically to maintain visibility and safety.This kind of smart control reduces blade wear, helps prevent windshield damage, and saves drivers from that grating squeal. It’s a small tweak with outsized benefits in everyday weather, and it may appear in future GM models as part of an expanded driver-assistance system.
General Motors, GM patent, intelligent windshield wiper control, windshield wipers, dry scraping, blade wear, driver-assistance, US 2025/0319845 A1, James Hingst, automatic resume, vehicle safety
2025
Michael Powers
news
GM patent: intelligent windshield-wiper control that prevents dry scraping
General Motors patents an intelligent windshield-wiper control that blocks starts, prevents dry scraping, reduces blade wear, and auto-resumes for safety.
Michael Powers, Editor
General Motors has filed a patent for an intelligent windshield-wiper control system that can decide when to switch the wipers on or off. Filed as US 2025/0319845 A1, the application reached the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in April 2024 and was published in October 2025. The named inventor is Michigan-based engineer James Hingst.
The idea targets a familiar oversight: drivers forget to turn the wipers off before shutting down the engine. On the next start, the blades can scrape dry glass or drag across ice, risking scratches and premature wear.
GM’s approach records the previous wiper state and temporarily blocks activation at the next start. A countdown message on the display lets the driver reengage the wipers manually or keep them on standby.
If the vehicle is shifted out of Park and starts moving, the wipers resume automatically to maintain visibility and safety.
This kind of smart control reduces blade wear, helps prevent windshield damage, and saves drivers from that grating squeal. It’s a small tweak with outsized benefits in everyday weather, and it may appear in future GM models as part of an expanded driver-assistance system.
