Heated Windscreens - Why have they not caught on?

[wildcat45]

I have no experience of one despite having a string of fairly well specced modern cars.

My wife used to have a Puma before she met me years ago and still goes on about how good the heated front screen was in winter.

Ford have been offering them since the mid 80s. I have seen one in an old Range Rover, but I've never seen one on any other make of car.

You would have thought Volvo in the Ford years would have shared the technology for example.

Perhaps I am missing something - and they are failry standard fit on high end cars.

Is it a patent issue? Cost? I am surprised there is not a big business in aftermarket heated front screens.

Anyone know any more?

[NiceCupOfTea]

They do create a weird effect at night, a kind of blurring.

I think it's to do with patents though. Shame, I think they're a great idea.

[Nash_wrx]

is to do with a very tight pattent on Ford's side

[Hitler Hadrump]

I think they were offered on Lagunas for a while.

I kept focusing on the little wires on motorway trips but they're undoubtedly good in winter.

[SplatSpeed]

ford holds the patent should be expiring soon!

[Waugh-terfall]

coanda said:

If you have a problem with focusing, or a broad range of focus, it could be quite off putting.

This. I haaate them, I learned in a Fiesta with them, couldn't not focus on them, gave me headaches, my housemates Fiesta does the same thing, the single reason I didn't buy a Fiesta.

[McSam]

SplatSpeed said:

ford holds the patent should be expiring soon!

Really? Because I'm sure the Pug 207 I drove a while back had it..

I was under the impression Ford had a patent on it, but if the rear screen is so universal, I'm surprised they managed to get a patent tight enough to stop anyone else doing windscreens. Unless there's only one practical method of doing it without buggering visibility, I guess..

[SplatSpeed]

McSam said:

SplatSpeed said:

ford holds the patent should be expiring soon!

Really? Because I'm sure the Pug 207 I drove a while back had it..

I was under the impression Ford had a patent on it, but if the rear windscreen is so universal, I'm surprised they managed to get a patent tight enough to stop anyone else doing windscreens. Unless there's only one practical method of doing it without buggering visibility, I guess..

might have expired?

[LRdriver II]

Patent thing?
I have one in my 1975 BMW 2002 racecar, my Mk1 Escort too and soon there will be one in the Mk2 escort rally car..

[davepoth]

I have an ice scraper.

[philmots]

Got one in my ST220 and had one in a focus before, both bloody brilliant. You notice the wires in some light if you've happened to focus on them but if you quickly re-adjust to what's down the road you don't notice it.

Great idea.

[wildcat45]

LRdriver II said:

Patent thing?
I have one in my 1975 BMW 2002 racecar, my Mk1 Escort too and soon there will be one in the Mk2 escort rally car..

I didn't know the technology was that old My dad had a 1990 Volvo 740. It had a heated rear window with very thin hair like elements in it. I wondered at the time why they coudln't have fitted one on the front.

So I guess when Ford's patient runs out there will be a new revenue stream for the likes of Autoglass.

[Matt UK]

davepoth said:

I have an ice scraper.

Exactly.

£1 spent and 60 secs elbow grease. Plus I guess you'd have to do the side wimdows on a frosty morning anyway.

Not exactly hard work is it.

[Cyder]

Because it's a pain in the arse to engineer!

[Herman Toothrot]

wildcat45 said:

LRdriver II said:

Patent thing?
I have one in my 1975 BMW 2002 racecar, my Mk1 Escort too and soon there will be one in the Mk2 escort rally car..

I didn't know the technology was that old My dad had a 1990 Volvo 740. It had a heated rear window with very thin hair like elements in it. I wondered at the time why they coudln't have fitted one on the front.

So I guess when Ford's patient runs out there will be a new revenue stream for the likes of Autoglass.

I think he's talking modern upgrade. You can get them for Elises as well.

[bigdog3]

LRdriver II said:

Patent thing?
I have one in my 1975 BMW 2002 racecar, my Mk1 Escort too and soon there will be one in the Mk2 escort rally car..

Suspect these are special retrofit heated screens (from Ricky Evans Motorsport?) for competition cars which were never available as original equipment. So patents would not apply.

[Wacky Racer]

Morgans have heated windscreens....(more to stop misting up)

[bigdog3]

Wacky Racer said:

Morgans have heated windscreens....(more to stop misting up)

Ford don't consider Morgan to be a competitor so are unlikely to challenge. Also production volumes are a little different.

[McSam]

Matt UK said:

Exactly.

£1 spent and 60 secs elbow grease. Plus I guess you'd have to do the side wimdows on a frosty morning anyway.

Not exactly hard work is it.

I completely agree with that. But if the inside of your car steams up often, you're bloody glad of it, because it means no smearing on your 'screen.

[Ari]

Nash_wrx said:

is to do with a very tight pattent on Ford's side

An oft held urban myth. Friend of mine had one on a Passat three years ago, they're available on MINI's, and one of two other marques completely unrelated to Ford.

The biggest problem with them is the slight distortion they cause in oncoming headlight and other bright light sources at night. Always looks like your screen is not quite clean.

They are brilliant about 20 days a year, mildly annoying the other 345...