Self cleaning Windshield doesn't Need Windshield Wipers

Nanotechnologies just keep on getting more and more popular nowadays. They are a true marvel of technological progress, and can aid us in many ways usual things cannot. When it comes to cleaning, nanotechnologies do their best because of size. We already wrote about self-cleaning fabrics earlier, now it is the time for another way of using those modern helpers - to clean the windshield from water and dirt without any need of windshield wipers!

The Italian automobile designer Leonardo Fioravanti from the Pininfarina design studio has made a prototype of a windshield that uses nanoparticles to clean itself. All dirty work is done by micro layers that cover the windshield. First layer has water-repellent and sunrays-shielding capabilities. The second layer consists of microscopic nanoparticles, which will repel the dirt to the sides of this windshield. Third layer is control one, which detects the dirt and when finds it on the windshield, it will activate the nanoparticles to do the cleaning. And the fourth layer, which acts as energy source for others three, brings them electricity to operate. The air will aid the cleaning process, because of good aerodynamic design of both windshield and the car "Hidra".

Fioravanti thinks that this technology will be widely spread among new cars in five years. It is hard to believe that modern machines will be fully without any wipers, but who knows, maybe he is completely right, and the windshield cleaning will be completely done by nano particles? This new nanoparticle windshield is a working prototype now, exists only in a unique quantity and can be seen on a concept car "Hidra".

It is interesting how this technology will be introduced in mass production. Will it be a proprietary feature of some car manufacturer, or it will be widely spread among all new cars? However, we can be assured that as the time passes, nanotechnologies will play bigger role in everybody's life. -gr