Why Headlight Wipers Vanished and What Replaced Them

Explore why headlight wipers were common in the past, why they disappeared from modern cars, and how regulations and new materials changed headlight cleaning systems.

The story of tiny headlight wipers is a perfect illustration of how engineering solutions rise, peak, and eventually disappear. In the early 1970s, Swedish engineers were the first to fit cars with motorized headlamp wipers, and soon the law even required them. They felt revolutionary at the time — press a button and the snow, dirt, or road salt was gone. By the 1980s, these systems were everywhere, from budget sedans to premium Mercedes and Volvo models.

By the early 2000s, however, the small wipers had almost vanished. The reasons were technological as much as stylistic. High-pressure washer jets offered a cheaper, simpler alternative that didn’t need motors and linkages. Wipers also added aerodynamic drag and noise — minor, but measurable at highway speeds. And most importantly, headlights themselves had changed. Tough glass lenses gave way to polycarbonate covers with delicate UV coatings, which can be scratched by a moving brush.

Regulations also shaped this shift. Under UN/ECE Regulation 48, headlamp cleaning systems are required only for low beams producing more than 2000 lumens. Regulation 45 allows washer systems instead of mechanical brushes, and Regulation 113 even permits countries to prohibit brushes on plastic lenses altogether. Manufacturers therefore switched en masse to telescopic washer systems that stay hidden when not in use and do not risk damaging the lens.

In the United States, the picture was different: FMVSS 108 never required headlamp cleaners at all, so such systems were always rare and mostly confined to luxury imports. Volvo was among the last to hold on — its early 2000s S60 still had wipers — but eventually even the Swedes dropped them.

Today, headlamp wipers are a nostalgic sight, found mainly on older vehicles and in museums. Meanwhile, headlights themselves have continued to evolve: ribbed glass was replaced by clear polycarbonate, and complex multi-faceted reflectors and projectors now shape the beam. The light is brighter, smarter, and easier to keep clean — no brushes needed. The wipers may be gone, but the quest for a clear, bright road lives on, just in a quieter and more high-tech form.