March 12, 2025 • 7 mins
It may seem simple but the windshield wiper revolutionized transportation. Listen to the story about the birth of the wiper blade and its dramatic evolution.
Presented by State Farm Insurance and Driven by America's Automotive Trust. Learn more at americasautomotivetrust.org.
Hosted by Michael May
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
It was a stormy day in 1902,
when Mary Anderson was riding a streetcarin New York City.
Annoyed by the driverhaving to stop repeatedly to wipe
off the snow covered windshield.
She came up with an idea.
An idea that would revolutionizetransportation forever.
The windshield wiper.
(00:22):
It seems so simple, but it's a significantinvention, and its humble
beginnings paved the way to a saferand more efficient future on the road.
Stick with us as we cover the seedsof this invention, its evolution,
and the later bitter patent disputethat led to decades of expensive lawsuits.
This is fuel for the future.
(00:43):
Presented by State Farm Insuranceand driven by America's Automotive Trust.
I'm Michael May.
Let me rewind to that stormy day in 1902.
Mary Anderson, who worked in real estatein Birmingham, Alabama,
was visiting New York City as her streetcar struggled through the snow.
(01:04):
Anderson observed the driver repeatedlytrying to clear the windshield, sometimes
while driving, and other times stoppingcompletely to get out
and clean off the windshield.
This inconvenience sparked an idea.
She returned home to Alabamaand sketched up
a plan for the window cleaning device.
It was a simple but effective design.
(01:27):
It was manually operated with a leverinside the vehicle that moved a rubber
blade across the windshield,and it had to have enough tension
to effectively clean the window, butstill be easy enough to operate inside.
In 1903, Anderson was granted U.S.
Patent number 743801 while
she attempted to sell this ideato various car manufacturers.
(01:50):
None were interested.
They couldn't see a commercial valueto the invention,
and in 1903, let's rememberthe majority of Americans didn't own cars.
Ford's model T was about five years awayfrom hitting the market,
so the window cleaning devicewould be a very niche product.
Automobiles, they argued,were not even used in bad weather.
(02:16):
Andersontried her best, but with no takers.
She let the patent expire in 1920,
though she never sold it,her invention was ahead of its time.
Just two years later,
after the patent expired, Cadillacbecame the first manufacturer
to have windshield wipersas a standard feature in their cars.
(02:36):
Anderson may not have hadfinancial success with this invention,
but she is in the National InventorsHall of Fame.
Though Anderson may have been firstwith an invention
that resembles our modern wipers,she's not alone in developing an idea
to clean windows used in transportin a George Cape.
Well, of Connecticutactually had filed a patent
for a window cleaning contraption in 1896.
(03:00):
It had two bladesthat moved in a circular fashion.
It was designed for tram cars.
Specifically, the patent did mention carsand locomotives.
Another locomotive windowcleaning device was patented in 1904,
A few of their patents
were filed with their own designs,but not until about ten years later.
Even without those other designs,Mary Anderson's is the simplest
(03:22):
one and most resembles the wipers to come.
That's all to say.
Mary Andersonis the mother of the windshield wiper.
But the story doesn't end there.
By the 1950s, windshield wipers
had evolved significantly from Anderson'soriginal design.
And let's be honest,they should keep being improved upon.
Enter Robert Kearns.
(03:44):
Kearns was an engineering professorfrom Detroit, and in 1963,
inspired by the human eyesblinking motion,
he developed the intermittent windshieldwiper.
The idea supposedly came aboutbecause of a champagne cork.
On Kearns wedding night in 1953,someone popped open a bottle of champagne
and the cork hit Kearns left eye,which left him blind.
(04:08):
In that eye.
then in 1963,while driving his Ford Galaxy in the rain,
the wipers motion made it difficultfor Kearns to see.
So Kearns,a very competent engineer, already
designed his new and improvedintermittent windshield wiper.
This revolutionary deviceallowed the wipers to pass between wipes,
(04:29):
preventing them from smearing thewindshield, making it even safer to drive.
Then, before his first patentwas filed on December 1st,
1964, Kearns demonstrated his invention
to the Ford Motor Company,who initially expressed interest.
However, negotiations
stalled, and one reason that's often citedfor this negotiation fallout
(04:50):
is that Kearns had set uphis own manufacturing facilities.
Ford took a gamble and eventually released
its own version of intermittent wiperswithout compensating Kearns.
other automakers quickly followed suit.
Feeling betrayed,
Kearns embarked on a legal crusadethat would spans three decades.
(05:13):
He turned downsettlements, wishing instead to fight
for what's right and go to court.
In 1978, Kearns filed a patentinfringement lawsuit against Ford,
followed by similar suits against Chryslerand and other manufacturers.
The case was more than just a battle overwindshield wipers.
It was a fight to defend the rightsof independent inventors
(05:34):
against powerful corporations.
Kearns arguedthat his patented technology was stolen,
while auto automakers countered thatthe concept was obvious and patentable.
The case dragged on until 1990,
when a jury sided with Kearns,awarding him $10.2 million from Ford.
Two years later,Chrysler was ordered to pay 30 million.
(05:56):
these victories came at a cost.
Kearns had exhausted his finances,his health and his marriage.
His determination, however, left a markon patent law and the rights of inventors.
And his story is likelythe most famous patent lawsuit in history.
Kearns always believedhis cases were not about the money,
(06:19):
and his story would
later inspire the 2008film Flash of Genius
with Greg Kinnear.
Windshield wipers have come a long waysince Mary Anderson's
hand-operated device.
Today, innovationssuch as rain sensing wipers, laser
systems and windshield coatingskeep improving the safety of cars.
(06:41):
Companies like Tesla and McLarenhave even explored alternatives,
including electric magnetic wipersand ultrasonic waves to clear windshields.
But the legacy of both Anderson and Kearnsis more than just clear windshields.
Their stories show that automotiveinnovation entails more than just engines,
and fast cars have leather interiorand superior aerodynamics.
(07:05):
It also encompassesthe stories of independent inventors
and their mark on automobiles.
And as we look to the futureof transportation, it's worth
remembering these visionarieswho helped clear the path.
Thank you for listening to fuelfor the future,
presented by State Farm Insuranceand driven by America's Automotive Trust.
(07:26):
To learn more,visit America's Automotive trust.org.
It was a stormy day in 1902,
when Mary Anderson was riding a streetcarin New York City.
Annoyed by the driverhaving to stop repeatedly to wipe
off the snow covered windshield.
She came up with an idea.
An idea that would revolutionizetransportation forever.
The windshield wiper.
(00:22):
It seems so simple, but it's a significantinvention, and its humble
beginnings paved the way to a saferand more efficient future on the road.
Stick with us as we cover the seedsof this invention, its evolution,
and the later bitter patent disputethat led to decades of expensive lawsuits.
This is fuel for the future.
(00:43):
Presented by State Farm Insuranceand driven by America's Automotive Trust.
I'm Michael May.
Let me rewind to that stormy day in 1902.
Mary Anderson, who worked in real estatein Birmingham, Alabama,
was visiting New York City as her streetcar struggled through the snow.
(01:04):
Anderson observed the driver repeatedlytrying to clear the windshield, sometimes
while driving, and other times stoppingcompletely to get out
and clean off the windshield.
This inconvenience sparked an idea.
She returned home to Alabamaand sketched up
a plan for the window cleaning device.
It was a simple but effective design.
(01:27):
It was manually operated with a leverinside the vehicle that moved a rubber
blade across the windshield,and it had to have enough tension
to effectively clean the window, butstill be easy enough to operate inside.
In 1903, Anderson was granted U.S.
Patent number 743801 while
she attempted to sell this ideato various car manufacturers.
(01:50):
None were interested.
They couldn't see a commercial valueto the invention,
and in 1903, let's rememberthe majority of Americans didn't own cars.
Ford's model T was about five years awayfrom hitting the market,
so the window cleaning devicewould be a very niche product.
Automobiles, they argued,were not even used in bad weather.
(02:16):
Andersontried her best, but with no takers.
She let the patent expire in 1920,
though she never sold it,her invention was ahead of its time.
Just two years later,
after the patent expired, Cadillacbecame the first manufacturer
to have windshield wipersas a standard feature in their cars.
(02:36):
Anderson may not have hadfinancial success with this invention,
but she is in the National InventorsHall of Fame.
Though Anderson may have been firstwith an invention
that resembles our modern wipers,she's not alone in developing an idea
to clean windows used in transportin a George Cape.
Well, of Connecticutactually had filed a patent
for a window cleaning contraption in 1896.
(03:00):
It had two bladesthat moved in a circular fashion.
It was designed for tram cars.
Specifically, the patent did mention carsand locomotives.
Another locomotive windowcleaning device was patented in 1904,
A few of their patents
were filed with their own designs,but not until about ten years later.
Even without those other designs,Mary Anderson's is the simplest
(03:22):
one and most resembles the wipers to come.
That's all to say.
Mary Andersonis the mother of the windshield wiper.
But the story doesn't end there.
By the 1950s, windshield wipers
had evolved significantly from Anderson'soriginal design.
And let's be honest,they should keep being improved upon.
Enter Robert Kearns.
(03:44):
Kearns was an engineering professorfrom Detroit, and in 1963,
inspired by the human eyesblinking motion,
he developed the intermittent windshieldwiper.
The idea supposedly came aboutbecause of a champagne cork.
On Kearns wedding night in 1953,someone popped open a bottle of champagne
and the cork hit Kearns left eye,which left him blind.
(04:08):
In that eye.
then in 1963,while driving his Ford Galaxy in the rain,
the wipers motion made it difficultfor Kearns to see.
So Kearns,a very competent engineer, already
designed his new and improvedintermittent windshield wiper.
This revolutionary deviceallowed the wipers to pass between wipes,
(04:29):
preventing them from smearing thewindshield, making it even safer to drive.
Then, before his first patentwas filed on December 1st,
1964, Kearns demonstrated his invention
to the Ford Motor Company,who initially expressed interest.
However, negotiations
stalled, and one reason that's often citedfor this negotiation fallout
(04:50):
is that Kearns had set uphis own manufacturing facilities.
Ford took a gamble and eventually released
its own version of intermittent wiperswithout compensating Kearns.
other automakers quickly followed suit.
Feeling betrayed,
Kearns embarked on a legal crusadethat would spans three decades.
(05:13):
He turned downsettlements, wishing instead to fight
for what's right and go to court.
In 1978, Kearns filed a patentinfringement lawsuit against Ford,
followed by similar suits against Chryslerand and other manufacturers.
The case was more than just a battle overwindshield wipers.
It was a fight to defend the rightsof independent inventors
(05:34):
against powerful corporations.
Kearns arguedthat his patented technology was stolen,
while auto automakers countered thatthe concept was obvious and patentable.
The case dragged on until 1990,
when a jury sided with Kearns,awarding him $10.2 million from Ford.
Two years later,Chrysler was ordered to pay 30 million.
(05:56):
these victories came at a cost.
Kearns had exhausted his finances,his health and his marriage.
His determination, however, left a markon patent law and the rights of inventors.
And his story is likelythe most famous patent lawsuit in history.
Kearns always believedhis cases were not about the money,
(06:19):
and his story would
later inspire the 2008film Flash of Genius
with Greg Kinnear.
Windshield wipers have come a long waysince Mary Anderson's
hand-operated device.
Today, innovationssuch as rain sensing wipers, laser
systems and windshield coatingskeep improving the safety of cars.
(06:41):
Companies like Tesla and McLarenhave even explored alternatives,
including electric magnetic wipersand ultrasonic waves to clear windshields.
But the legacy of both Anderson and Kearnsis more than just clear windshields.
Their stories show that automotiveinnovation entails more than just engines,
and fast cars have leather interiorand superior aerodynamics.
(07:05):
It also encompassesthe stories of independent inventors
and their mark on automobiles.
And as we look to the futureof transportation, it's worth
remembering these visionarieswho helped clear the path.
Thank you for listening to fuelfor the future,
presented by State Farm Insuranceand driven by America's Automotive Trust.
(07:26):
To learn more,visit America's Automotive trust.org.
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