Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Technology in cars/Stupid drivers (was Re: Some No.... Michael Schumacher)

[Ken Rentiers (rentiers]

Angle of incidence = angle of reflection. An infrared beam emitted from the 
device will bounce back to a sensor when it hits the glass/air interface, 
except if a raindrop is there and the beam then escapes. Because the index of 
refraction of glass is very much the same as that of water the IR beam passes 
thru the glass and is sent elsewhere by the curved raindrop surface. The sensor 
loses its signal and the wipers are triggered. 


On Dec 24, 2009, at 3:19 PM, Hans E. Hansen wrote:

> Most GM cars do too.  I haven't touched the headlight switch in many
> years.
> 
> Interesting how the auto wipers work.  The rain hits a small
> grid on the W/S (often behind the rear view mirror) and an
> optical sensor detects distortion in the light passing thru.
> 
> Hans.
> 
> On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 12:58 PM, Ken Rentiers <rentiers [at] me.com> wrote:
>> My 2003 sled does both those things.
>> 
>> On Dec 24, 2009, at 2:48 PM, LarryT wrote:
>> 
>>> Maybe they think there's automatic headlights - like Volvo offers wipers
>>> that start when it rains?
>> 
>> 
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