How do rain sensing wipers work?

However, a new type of wiper system is starting to appear on cars that actually does a good job of detecting the amount of water on the windshield and controlling the wipers. One such system is made by TRW Inc., here is a PDF describing their rain sensor system. read more

Later, an intermittent wiper feature was integrated into many windshield wiper switches, allowing drivers to reduce the frequency of wiper movements based on the intensity of precipitation. The most innovative addition to windshield wiper technology has come in recent years, in the form of rain-sensing wipers. read more

A rain sensor or rain switch is a switching device activated by rainfall. There are two main applications for rain sensors. The first is a water conservation device connected to an automatic irrigation system that causes the system to shut down in the event of rainfall. read more