AUS
NZ
UK
CA
USA
IND
Highlights
- The world-famous electric car Tesla has been granted a new patent on Thursday.
- Tesla’s new technology can drastically change the earlier way of wiping the windshield.
- The new patent gives the electric car maker exclusive right for its invention.
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) has been granted a new patent right that can drastically change the previous way of cleaning off debris and water from the windshield. The electric car has introduced a new laser beam technology that not only cleans windshields but also solar PV assemblies.
Representative Image Source: © Jirsak | Megapixl.com
On Thursday, US Patent and Trademark Office granted Tesla patent rights for its new invention. Tesla intends to use laser beams to clear debris off the windshield along with other glass areas of the vehicle where laser beams or literal beams of light sink for a minute to clear off the debris.
Earlier Tesla had filed for this patent in 2019.
RELATED ARTICLE - Tesla (TSLA) eyes humanoid robots to beat labor shortage
The new patent is known as “Pulsed laser cleaning of debris accumulated on glass articles in vehicles and photovoltaic assemblies’’. As per the patent name, it details exactly the working process of the new technology.
What took Elon Musk a step closer to supervillain status?
How does the new laser beam technology works?
In an SEC filing, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) announced that the cleaning system for a vehicle consists of a beam optics assembly that emits a laser beam. The laser beam will irradiate a region on a glass article of the vehicle, which, in turn, will detect debris accumulated on the region and perform control circuitry.
The control circuitry regulates a set of parameters that is associated with the emitted laser beam from the beam optics assembly. This control circuitry controls the exposure level of the laser beam falling on the debris, that is accumulated on calibration of the pre-defined set of parameters.
The exposure level is further controlled, based on pulsing of the laser beam at a balanced rate. This rate, however, limits the penetration level of the laser beam to a depth that is lighter than a thickness of glass article.
However, this is not only for windshields. Tesla has also mulling to use for clearing the debris off the Autopilot cameras which are studded around the vehicle. Assuming that they can figure out the safety measures, cleaning the debris off the Autopilot cameras can be carried out with great safety without causing injury to the other drivers or the pedestrians.
This new laser beam technology will also be used for clearing debris off solar panels, as per the patent name.
Bottomline –
It’s not necessary that this technology will be used only on vehicles and solar panels, Tesla can use it for various purpose as there is no mention of its usage. It should also be noted that the Cybertruck prototype doesn’t consists of any windshield wipers. Tesla can also use the laser beam technology for the Cybertruck. However, just because Tesla has patent, it doesn’t necessarily mean that this technology will soon enter in the market.
