Here Are 5 of the Weirdest Car Company Patents You’ll Find

The CyberTruck may get a very fitting way to clean its windshield.

Car-Patents-gear-patrol-full-lead

Car engineers enjoy problem-solving. They have yet to encounter a conundrum for which they can’t come up with a more complex and needlessly technological solution. Their employers file for the patent rights for those solutions, just in case. You may not ever see them in reality, but rest assured knowing someone thought of them.

Vanarama compiled some of the world’s weirdest car patents. Below are five of our favorites held by major automakers.

Tesla Laser Windshield Cleaning

Car-Patents-gear-patrol-body-4

Cleaning your windshield with fluid and wipers is fine, but it isn’t very “Tesla.” How about some pulsed lasers on your CyberTruck instead. This patent application is pending.

BMW Car Wash Drone

Car-Patents-gear-patrol-body-05

BMW owners want to keep their cars clean. Currently, doing so requires mingling with the hassle at the local car wash or using a hose, sponge, and soap, themselves. In the future, said owners might be able to wash their vehicles using an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Ford Electric Motorbike Deployment

Car-Patents-gear-patrol-body-06

Parking in the city is a pain. Ford has a mobility solution that would allow you to open a compartment in your car and hop on an e-bike to your final destination.

Waymo Sticky Hood

Car-Patents-gear-patrol-body-3

Google and Waymo have a patent to mitigate the impact of pedestrian collisions by having the colliding object (or person) puncture an adhesive layer on the hood.

Ford Mobile Office

Car-Patents-gear-patrol-feature

Here’s Ford’s incredibly literal interpretation of the “mobile office,” offering a cylindrical passenger compartment with a round table and chairs for meetings on the go.

Today in Gear

CON-20-001—WEB—TIG-DON-SIDEBARS—TIG–Comp06

The best way to catch up on the day’s most important product releases and stories. Read the Story

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.