The History of Windscreen Wipers: Who Invented Them and Why

Ah, the automobile. One of society’s greatest and most enduring inventions.

Ever since Carl Benz invented a way to retire (some very tired) horses in favour of a carriage propelled by an engine in 1886, the automobile has evolved continually into the technological masterpieces they are today.

And yet, while today’s vehicles are brimming with all manner of gizmos and gadgets, technology and innovation, there are still some components that have changed remarkably little over the last century-plus.

It just goes to prove that the simplest ideas can often be the best, no matter the era.

Take windscreen wipers for example. Sure, they’ve developed since the 1900s in the way they operate and the materials they’re constructed from, but their functionality and purpose remains precisely the same.

As such, its inventor – a one Mary Anderson – deserves huge credit as the original brains behind a component so important, you (legally) couldn’t drive a vehicle without them even today.

Moreover, Anderson had the bright idea to develop what would become the humble ‘windshield wiper’ system as early as 1903, a time when the automobile was still in its infancy and owned by a precious few.

Inspired by a streetcar driver’s struggle for visibility during bad weather, Mary Anderson went away and patented a wiper system that cleaned the windshield effectively.

Her patent, US 743,801, was admittedly a low-fi creation, requiring hand-operation but the lever and oscillating arm functions formed the basis for windscreen wipers in the decades that followed.

In fact, there were other inventions during the period with a similar intention, but it was Mary Anderson’s creation that ultimately stuck and was adopted for further development in the ensuing years.

Even so, it would take until the 1920s, as automobiles became more common on the road, that component manufacturers began to refine the technology for greater mass-market appeal.

Vacuum-powered wipers in the 1920s allowed the wiper blades to speed up or slow down depending on the vehicle’s speed before Bosch developed a system that used a small electric motor to function.

The operation worked so well, Bosch expanded quickly and is today one of the world’s foremost engineering companies building everything from vehicle components – including wiper blades – to household appliances.

And the rest, as they say, is history… wiper blades are integral to a vehicle’s construction and operation, but the technology has necessitated only refinement over the past 120 years.

A true testament to the pioneering mind of Mary Anderson back in 1903.