Tesla Revives Laser Windshield Wiper Concept with Patent Update

Tesla Revives Laser Windshield Wiper Concept with Patent Update

Tesla’s concept of using lasers to clean vehicle windshields has resurfaced. Originally filed in 2019, the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted an updated divisional patent for the technology on March 31, 2026.

The new patent indicates the company continues to protect and develop the approach.

The Reason for the Update

The latest grant is a divisional application of the original 2019 filing. A divisional application is used when an initial submission contains multiple distinct inventions and a restriction requirement compels the applicant to separate the claims.

Tesla received a restriction requirement in 2020. Rather than drop the alternate claims, the company filed the divisional paperwork to secure them. Nearly 6 years later, the newly granted patent specifically covers the vehicular cleaning apparatus, with an emphasis on how the system’s circuitry identifies the exact type of debris.

The design relies on a control circuit that calibrates the laser to the detected debris type. It pulses the laser at a specified rate and limits penetration to a depth strictly less than the glass thickness, clearing dirt or grime without directing a laser into the cabin.

The concept originated while addressing the challenge of removing water from the Cybertruck’s windshield. The production solution ultimately settled on the giga wiper.

Is Tesla Still Considering Lasers?

The technology targets a need across current and future vehicles. The Cybertruck uses a massive single-blade physical wiper, which presents aerodynamic and packaging challenges.

As the company pivots toward the Cybercab and Unsupervised FSD, keeping cameras and windshields clear without human intervention becomes essential. An automated laser cleaning system that avoids degrading physical wiper blades could reduce maintenance for a fleet of autonomous robotaxis.