Tesla has actually managed to obtain a patent on its wild idea to use lasers to clean debris off of vehicles. The automaker is literally talking about using laser beams basically as windshield wipers, and it’s exactly what Tesla shows in its patent drawings.
The patent is titled: “Pulsed laser cleaning of debris accumulated on glass articles in vehicles and photovoltaic assemblies.” The patent application reads in part: “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.”
Elon Musk added that Tesla is launching the initiative because “if they don’t, someone else will do it, and he can’t make sure they will do it safely.”
Read the article at Electrek.