When Cars Conquered Rain

We all know that autumn feeling. The weather gets wetter and precipitation often leads to poor visibility – something that hardly puts anyone off driving today but was a real nuisance and a major safety problem in the early years of motorized cars.

It took a revolutionary invention to ensure a clear view behind the wheel: the windscreen wiper. 120 years ago, on November 10, 1903, New Yorker Mary Anderson was awarded the world’s first patent for such a design. It enabled the person behind the wheel to clean their windscreen using a lever in the interior. The lever, positioned close to the steering wheel, set in motion a wooden wiper arm with rubber lips that removed moisture and dirt from the windscreen.

Manufacturers still use this basic technical principle today – including Continental. The company started production in 1926, added the product to its portfolio two years later and has continued to improve windscreen wiper technology ever since. The latest generation in the aftermarket, the AQUACTRL2, offers incredible wiping performance for optimum visibility in all weather conditions. Unlike in Mary Anderson’s time, customers also now have a choice: AQUACTRL2 wipers can be pre-fitted and tailored specifically to a vehicle or are available as a flexible adapter system for a variety of different models.