Every gearhead can agree on one thing: Cars are always better when clean. Some would even argue that clean cars run better. No gearhead in their right mind would drive around with a dirty, poorly-maintained vehicle. As a result, automakers like Volvo, Mercedes, Saab, BMW, Ford, Nissan, Audi, Rolls Royce, and more have created automotive innovations to keep your ride in pristine condition.
You've heard of windshield wipers, but have you heard of headlight wipers? How about headlight washers? Rarely featured on new cars, some older cars feature special sprayers and little wipers to keep your headlamps oh-so clean. Check them out in action!
How Do Headlight Wipers Work?
So, they look cool, great, but how do they actually work? Headlamp wipers use tiny wiper motors attached to small wiper arms. These small motors get the little wiper blades moving to clean off your headlights. Very few vehicles feature these nowadays, so chances are you won't see any on the road. The Saab 99 and Volvo 240 are two of the rare vehicles that use these wipers.
Drivers activate these wipers by turning on their windshield wipers. The two are in sync. Some even feature headlamp washers, which are also operated with the windshield wiper controls. These washers spray windshield washer fluid onto headlights and then make them spotless using the wiper system.
Whether these wipers have a place in modern times is entirely up to you. I don't know if James Bond would have this attachment on a Mercedes-Benz or Aston Martin, but hey, you like what you like. Headlights can get extremely dirty and yellow with time. If headlight wipers and washers are a way to avoid this, I say why not? These can be especially useful off-road. If it keeps the mud away, bring 'em on.