Not just rubber and metal… water too
Never to be overlooked, wiper blades perform the most fundamental of functions in any vehicle—to give the driver maximum visibility when on the road. A clear view is a safer drive.
Often not considered until it’s too late, wiper blades can be so much more than just strips of rubber and metal. And with Valeo AquaBlade™, the French automotive giant, Valeo, has turned water into an ally, by helping drivers to see more clearly than ever no matter the weather.
Valeo AquaBlade’s® history . . . at the crest of the wave
Launched in 2012—a unique concept resulting from the emergence of driving assistance and the need for the top of windshields to be perfectly clean—Valeo AquaBlade® was a patented innovation, well ahead of its time.
A part of the Silencio and SWF ranges, Valeo AquaBlade® uses a flat blade with small laser-cut holes that allow washer fluid to be distributed along the entire length of the blade.
In comparison, other wipers rely on spray nozzles that are either located under the hood or installed on the wiper arm. The benefits of the Valeo AquaBlade® are many:
- No more obstructing jets of cleaning fluid
- Better visibility and therefore comfort for the driver
- Larger cleaning area, including upper windshield cameras
- Better night visibility (reduces glare and blur)
- Cleaning quality preserved at all vehicle and wind speeds
- Creates a faster driver reaction time & lower braking distances
Safety first, safety second, safety . . .
The positive effects of Valeo Aquablade™ on driver reaction times really can’t be overstated. After more than 5,500 tests in real driving conditions, performed with Fraunhofer Institute IOSB, the results discovered were excellent.
Drivers using Valeo’s AquaBlade™ reacted 315 milliseconds sooner than those using traditional nozzles. And while in urban environments (at 50 km/h), a braking distance of 4 meters was saved, on the motorway (at 130km/h), a huge 11 meters of braking distance was saved. Such distances are often the difference between avoiding a dangerous incident or not.
Innovation Front, Back and More
Sold worldwide, and through both traditional channels and online, Valeo is currently the only manufacturer on the market to propose Valeo AquaBlade’s™ original technology in all its different specificities: unheated and heated version, specific wiper arm connections, special spline curves to maximize cleaning efficiency, rear version, etc.
In northern Europe, the heated version represents the major part of the Valeo AquaBlade™ equipped car parc, thanks to its tremendous performance in difficult weather conditions.
Wiping away the competition
Offering a wide range of 20+ references, which are the same portfolio for both the OE and the IAM, Valeo AquaBlade™ currently covers the full car parc—a car parc that is expected to grow to ten times its current size over the next few years.
Valeo AquaBlade’s™ PACE award-winning technology is here to stay, and by doing so, make the future both clearer and safer for all.
