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McLaren aims to replace windscreen wipers with sound waves

The technology used would create tiny vibrations that would prevent any water or dirt from resting on the windscreen.

BRITISH CAR COMPANY McLaren is working on replacing windscreen wipers with an ultrasonic device that will prevent dirt from sticking to the screen.

The company is working a high-frequency electronic system that would pump sound waves, outside the range of human hearing, through the windscreen and create tiny vibrations.

These vibrations would prevent water, mud and any dirt from resting on the glass, keeping the glass clean.

McLaren is keeping the design a secret, but it believes that the technology will improve vehicle efficiency by removing the weight of wiper motors.

The chief designer for McLaren, Frank Stephenson, told the Sunday Times that the idea came from the military, and him wondering why fighter jets didn’t have wipers attached.

I asked why you don’t see wipers on some aircraft when they are coming in at very low speeds for landing.

I was told that it’s not a coating on the surface but a high frequency electronic system that never fails and is constantly active. Nothing will attach to the windscreen.

The feature could be introduced in to McLaren’s range of cars by 2015, and if successful, could be adopted by mass produced cars soon after.

Read: Ford reveals its first self-driving research car >

Read: Unhappy campers: VW announces the end of the line for iconic ‘Bus’ >

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28 Comments
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    Mute David Van-Standen
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    Apr 21st 2023, 7:38 AM

    Yeah! The hilarity that is American politics continues to deliver.

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    Mute Hannah Hannah
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    Apr 21st 2023, 9:01 AM

    Biden is one of the worst presidents in America history.

    Trump 2024.

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    Mute Numinous20111
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    Apr 21st 2023, 9:08 AM

    @Hannah Hannah: Biden will not be ranked near Trump’s current 4th worst position. However, I don’t believe he should run for re-election due to his age (please note the obvious implication about Trump as well). Biden’s administration has generally done an effective job (with some major and minor screw-ups and also some unexpected major successes and some expected major successes) and Biden has had the unfair advantage of following Trump, which distorts Biden’s public perception to the positive in almost every way possible. The problem is that the Democratic Party have done very little to establish another potential candidate in the public awareness.

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Apr 21st 2023, 2:12 PM

    @Hannah Hannah: except for all the rest of them that is

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    Mute Bass Boss
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    Apr 21st 2023, 10:59 AM

    the free pass this guy gettin’..!

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    Mute GERARD KENNELLY
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    Apr 21st 2023, 9:50 AM

    is Joe busy may 6th ?

    why would the POTUS snub the coronation ?

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    Mute Donal O'Brien
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    Apr 21st 2023, 10:47 AM

    @GERARD KENNELLY: because the King of England isn’t his boss.

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    Mute Carm(Orange Vampire)
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    Apr 21st 2023, 12:41 PM

    @GERARD KENNELLY: Because no American President has ever attended a British coronation so why should he?

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    Mute Mise Anseo
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    Apr 21st 2023, 1:06 PM

    Unfortunately he has not acquitted himself well in the role. But at least he was 100% better than that other option the Republican party were offering. It was most definitely a case of “ANYONE is better than letting Trump back into power.”

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    Mute Carm(Orange Vampire)
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    Apr 21st 2023, 12:43 PM

    I love Joe Biden but I don’t think he should run again.

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    Mute Joan Grennan
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    Apr 22nd 2023, 12:05 PM

    BIden is absolutely not up to it at all and it is more than essential that the Democratic party find the courage to break it to him . He is quite simply past it and I say it as someone who is a senior citizen myself . On the other hand while he is lost in a nostalgic daze about his Irishness Ireland is the lucky beneficiary . Meantime Hillary Clinton.on Late Late was absolutely flying it , bright as a button , wonderfully articulate .She can’t have been too focused on Bill though ,who looked so utterly ecstatic with the beautiful head of Mrs Colm Eastwood on his shoulder as they hugged each other during all that meet and greet .Hillary ,was robbed before of the top job but would make a great candidate still .

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