It turns 100 years old, and 1.6 billion vehicles worldwide use it: the invention that changed the history of automobiles

08/10/2026 14:00

Updated to

08/10/2026 14:00

Now that autumn rains are arriving, have you ever stopped to think about how you would drive without an invention used by every one of the 1.6 billion vehicles on the road worldwide today?

We’re talking about the automatic windshield wiper—a simple invention that your car likely connects to automatically these days, but which changed the history of automobiles 100 years ago.

It’s 100 years old, but it was invented even earlier and involved Ford

Its history is truly interesting. It is said that this invention, used in millions of vehicles today, was conceived and developed by the American Mary Anderson after a tram ride in New York during the winter of 1902.

Anderson realized that drivers had to get out periodically to clean the windshield from rain, dirt, and ice, so she developed the idea of a sweeping device consisting of a rubber blade on the windshield, operated by a lever from inside the vehicle. She continued to refine and test it, but not on a car, rather on a tram. She patented it in 1903, specifically under application number 743,801A.

Meanwhile, Henry Ford learned of this invention and made a decision that would change the history of automobiles: starting to install it on some units of the legendary Ford T. The invention became increasingly popular, and by 1922—Anderson’s patent had expired in 1920—Cadillac was the first brand to adopt it as standard equipment.

There was one problem, though: this windshield wiper cleaned “dry,” meaning it wasn’t very effective if it wasn’t raining or snowing. This changed in the 1930s when a manually operated water pump began to be added to this invention.

1.6 Billion Vehicles Use This 1926 Invention Today

But just a few years earlier, a revolution occurred. In 1926, Bosch attached an electric motor to this invention, which greatly improved comfort—no longer requiring manual operation—and enhanced vehicle safety by ensuring reliable performance even under the harshest conditions.

To this day, this invention, used in approximately 1.6 billion vehicles on the planet—along with many motorcycles—is even more essential for road safety.

And that’s because, think about it, most ADAS and camera-based driving aids rely on your car’s windshield staying clean, and that’s something invented by Mary Anderson and perfected just 100 years ago.