ProActive Wipers (PAW) is new software for windscreen wipers that use information from the car’s camera, radar and rain sensors. The software knows that large vehicles present a risk for sudden water splashes and gets ready. At the same time as the water hits the screen it’s wiped away, giving the driver a clear view.
PAW is a good example of how it’s possible to take advantage of technology that is already present in cars and use it in a new and creative way – in this case to make windscreen wipers smarter and safer for the user.
PAW is a proprietary and patent pending innovation from Semcon, which uses information from the car’s existing equipment. The feature has been evaluated in real conditions and the software could easily be implemented in today’s cars.
The development team can see several other opportunities using PAW. For example, the information collected could be used to predict the risk of aquaplaning – and to warn other vehicles. Semcon also sees a big potential for PAW when autonomous cars come to market.
Driverless cars are dependent on critical sensors and cameras behind the windscreen being kept free from dirt and water. The intelligence inside PAW could therefore be used to increase safety and reliability in self-driving cars.
