Tesla patents laser system to clean car windows and solar panels
The filing describes a system that uses a pulsed laser beam to remove dirt and debris from glass surfaces on vehicles and photovoltaic assemblies. It includes sensors to detect the debris and control circuitry that adjusts the laser's pulse rate to ensure it only removes the dirt without damaging the underlying glass.
In the filing’s own words
A cleaning system for a vehicle includes a beam optics assembly that emits a laser beam to irradiate a region on a glass article of the vehicle, debris detection circuitry that detects debris accumulated over the region, and control circuitry. The control circuitry calibrates a set of parameters associated with the laser beam emitted from the beam optics assembly based on detection of the debris accumulated over the region on the glass article, controls an exposure level of the laser beam on the debris accumulated based on calibration of the set of parameters associated with the laser beam, wherein the exposure level is controlled based on pulsing the laser beam at a calibrated rate that limits penetration of the laser beam to a depth that is less than a thickness of the glass article, and removes the debris accumulated over the region on the glass article using the laser beam.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. (canceled)
Facts
- Company
- Tesla (Tesla, Inc.)
- Official title
- PULSED LASER CLEANING OF DEBRIS ACCUMULATED ON GLASS ARTICLES IN VEHICLES AND PHOTOVOLTAIC ASSEMBLIES
- Publication number
- US20260257648A1
- Application number
- 19457535
- Filed
- Jan 23, 2026
- Published
- Sep 3, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 21
Classified under
B60S 1/02 Operations & transportB08B 7/0042 Operations & transportB60R 11/04 Operations & transportB60R 2011/0005 Operations & transportMore from Tesla in Cars & transport
- Tesla patents electric fan system to boost car grip and cut drag Sep 29, 2026
- Tesla patents system that adjusts driving based on camera visibility Sep 17, 2026
- Tesla patents rear wing that hides in body and adjusts for speed Sep 24, 2026
- Tesla patents car doors that open when you lean in using UWB signals Oct 1, 2026
- Tesla patents car-to-car data sharing to fix GPS errors Oct 8, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.