1The Cold New York Commute
Imagine sitting in a streetcar during a freezing snowy day in 1903. Back then, drivers couldn't just flip a switch to see the road! A woman named Mary Anderson was visiting New York City when she noticed the driver had to keep his window open, letting in the icy wind just so he could reach out and wipe the snow off the glass by hand. Mary realized there had to be a better way to stay warm and safe. She went home to Alabama and sketched a design for a swinging arm with a rubber blade that could be moved by a lever inside the car. Even though some people thought her idea would distract drivers, it became one of the most important safety features in history!
2From Levers to Electricity
For many years, windshield wipers were hand-operated. This meant the driver had to steer with one hand and pump a handle with the other to clear the rain! In 1917, another clever inventor named Charlotte Bridgwood took things a step further by creating the first automatic electric windshield wipers. These used a small motor to move the blades back and forth. Modern wipers are even smarter; they use sensors to detect exactly how much rain is falling and can change their speed automatically. Today, almost every vehicle on the road, from tiny cars to giant airplanes, uses a version of Mary Anderson's 1903 design to keep the glass crystal clear.
3The Science of the Squeegee
Have you ever wondered why the rubber doesn't just smudge the water around? Windshield wipers work like a squeegee. The rubber blade is thin and flexible, allowing it to stay pressed tight against the curved glass. As the arm sweeps across, it creates a high-pressure seal that traps the water molecules and shoves them out of the way. Because the rubber is smooth, it leaves a dry path behind it. Engineers today even use special chemicals on the rubber to make sure it doesn't squeak or get stuck when it's icy outside. It is a simple tool, but it saves millions of lives by making sure drivers can always see what is ahead of them!
