At first glance, Car Wiper Blades look the same today as they appeared when Mary Anderson first invented them in 1903. Since then, there have been quite a number of advances along the way, for example Vacuum and later Electric Power overtaking hand cranks, new materials in the form of Silicone Wiper Blades, Rain Sensitive Controls etc.
Yet, until lately, a cursory glance at Car Wiper Blades could easily leave you with the sense that nothing much has changed. This all changed recently with the introduction of Flat Wiper Blades
Reduced space between the trailing edge of the bonnet and the windscreen, cost reductions, product reliability, aero-dynamic drag, image, pedestrian crash laws, have all pushed car designers & their counterparts in the component industry to try something completely new. At last there is an innovation that we can recognise; Flat Wiper Blades or Beam Wiper Blades as they’re often called within the manufacturing companies.
Committed campaigns by car manufacturers, are under way to significantly cut back car fuel consumption. This means windscreens are becoming more inclined, and this requires longer Wiper Blades, which therefore call for more powerful motors & transmission systems, all at a reduced weight & taking up less room than previously.
Flat Wiper Blades have a lower profile than conventional Car Wiper Blades, making them more visually pleasing as well as making them aerodynamically much more effective, both in terms of reduced drag and improved contact with the windscreen, specially at elevated speeds. Flat Wiper Blades don’t have joints that could seize or clog with ice and snow in cold weather. This guarantees a much safer and clearer wipe on those cold dark and dangerous winter mornings. If you combine the technology of flat Wiper Blades with Silicone Wiper Blades, you get an exceptional winter wiper blade, thanks to the jointless design & silicone’s low temperature flexibility and resistance to the solvents used to stop screen wash freezing.
Most European vehicle makers now specify Flat Wiper Blades on all new models, and have been doing so for several years now. At first drivers were faced with some outrageous prices for replacing Flat Wiper Blades because there was no competition to push the prices down to reasonable levels. Moreover in the last two years, we’ve seen many competitors coming into the market place with Flat Wiper Blades both as replacements for the Original Equipment, and also as retrofits which permit owners of vehicles with traditional Wiper Blades to upgrade the appearance, Performance and safety of their car.
Maybe the next big innovation will be the first car 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 car owner will make his Wiper Blades last at least 3 times that. Silicone Wiper Blades usually last 3 to 5 times longer than rubber Wiper Blades, and can be found at similar or slightly lower prices than premium rubber Wiper Blades.