Technology made simple: Putting things in the right light
Siemens VDO improves visibility and cleans headlamps
Regensburg, October 29, 2007
Good visibility and adequate lighting are vital for safe driving when it gets dark. With its products, Siemens VDO gives drivers a better view of the road. In the field of windscreen and headlamp cleaning systems, our products range from heated washer fluid reservoirs to state of the art nozzles. Specially designed nozzles clean away the dirt from the headlamps and windscreen with up to 3.5 bar water pressure. This results in improved safety and reduced washer fluid consumption.
Fall and winter bring challenges, such as grimy windscreens and dirty headlamps. Wiper systems are constantly switched on and off as leaves, rain and slush come into play. However, it’s not only the view through the windscreen that is impaired by poor road conditions, drivers often underestimate how restricted vision range can be with dirty headlamps on dark roads. This can have a negative effect on reaction time. In addition, the high intensity xenon headlamps are only at their most effective when there are no dirt particles that deflect the xenon light elsewhere. This is just another reason why integrated automatic washer systems are legally required, when using Xenon headlamps.
Keeping windscreens and headlamps clean in adverse weather conditions requires a cleaning system comprised of smoothly interacting components. Siemens VDO develops a wide range of windscreen and headlamp cleaning products for the Automotive Manufacturers. The system comprises of all the necessary components, ranging from water tanks for cleaning fluid, hoses and pumps, to diverse spray nozzles. These are used in all vehicle classes, from the compact car to luxury saloons. Today, around 60 percent of Europe’s automobile manufacturers are already using Siemens VDO washer nozzles.
To tackle tough road slush and scuff, on the windscreen and headlamps the automotive supplier pumps the washer fluid to the spray nozzles at a pressure of up to 3.5 bar. The special nozzle design keeps the pressure constant until the fluid hits the windscreen. The fast-swinging jet uniformly spreads the fluid over the windscreen or headlamps. In two steps, the dirt is first loosened and then washed off. In doing so, the engineers can cut water consumption by almost half. The driver does not need to use the wipers or fill the fluid reservoir as often.
Heated washer systems provide added comfort when temperatures drop below freezing. According to vehicle category - primarily in upmarket models - automobile manufacturers also can use Siemens VDO heated water tanks and hoses in addition to electrically heated nozzles. This makes problems such as frozen nozzles a thing of the past.
These developments by Siemens VDO experts for keeping windscreens and headlamps clean may not be in the limelight. They are however helping drivers reach their destination safely, whatever the weather.
Siemens VDO Automotive AG (Regensburg) is one of the world’s leading automotive electronics and mechatronics suppliers, earning approximately 70 percent of its total annual sales in this segment. As an automotive industry development partner, the company's innovative products and solutions enhance safety, driving comfort, cost-effectiveness and performance, as well as reduce emissions and keep drivers informed and in touch with the world. In the 2006 business year (Sept. 30, 2006), Siemens VDO generated sales of more than EUR 10 billion and achieved results of EUR 669 million based on US-GAAP, which corresponds to an EBIT margin of 6.7 percent.
Reference Number: SV 200710.004 en
