World premiere - wipe and wash systems folded into one
A duct system takes the water directly to the wiper
blade
Programs for summer, winter and cabriolet operation
Fully heated system against snow and ice
An astonishing experience: the wiper blade glides over the
badly soiled windscreen of the new SL, without a sign of a
cleaning water jet, the occupants do not notice anything
yet the windscreen is still cleaned! The new SL is the
first vehicle to be equipped with the adaptive MAGIC VISION
CONTROL wiper/washer system developed by Mercedes-Benz. It
cleans the windscreen without the splash of water that
usually briefly disrupts the driver's field of view in
the case of conventional windscreen washing systems -
something that is especially unpleasant at night or when
the sun is low in the sky and at high speeds.
In fact, the windscreen cleaning operation in the SL is
still performed with washer fluid in the conventional
manner. The innovation lies in the way the fluid is
conducted to the windscreen in order to clean it. This is
done by means of water guides integrated on both sides
along the wiper blade - one on the left and one on the
right - with minute laser-cut spraying holes. Via these
channels, the innovative washer/wiper system always
supplies washing fluid to the windscreen discreetly,
precisely where it is needed: just in front of the wiper
blade lip, according to the direction of movement of the
wiper. The holes are distributed along the entire length of
the wiper blade, being more closely spaced towards the
outside of the blade, where it sweeps a greater area, than
closer in, where the area swept is smaller.
Programs for summer, winter and cabriolet operation
Mercedes-Benz controls the MAGIC VISION CONTROL system
intelligently via three partly autonomous wash programs -
for summer, for winter and for cabriolet driving. It is the
first windscreen wipe/wash system anywhere in the world to
operate in this way. In summer, small quantities of water
are sufficient to remove a light powdering of dust. In
winter the dirt mixed with de-icing salt requires a greater
amount of water. The MAGIC VISION CONTROL system works in
accordance with the outside temperature, and it also
automatically adapts the washer fluid quantity to the
surrounding conditions.
A particularly interesting feature of the SL Roadster is
the Cabriolet function: when the hardtop is down, the
electronic control system reduces the amount of water,
apart from which it demands the required water mainly on
the downward stroke of the wiper arm. This way the
windscreen can be conveniently cleaned during the journey
and with an open roof, without any of the water spraying
into the vehicle interior. Another pleasant side effect is
that, since the washer fluid is directed specifically and
in a well-metered manner to the area to be cleaned, one
doesn't douse anyone else in the
surroundings with water, either, and it also doesn't
distribute any spray onto the vehicles behind. At the end
of the day, a better cleaning effect is attained with up to
half the amount of washer fluid. It has therefore been
possible to reduce the volume of the washer fluid reservoir
by 1.7 litres compared with the preceding model. This in
turn contributes to a reduction in weight and consequently
to greater efficiency.
Winter-proof thanks to the heated system
On request the MAGIC VISION CONTROL wiper blades are
completely heated on the new SL, making Mercedes-Benz the
first manufacturer in the world to offer a fully heated
wiper/washer system. It consists of a washer fluid
container heated through coolant waste heat, electric
heating for the entire hose system and, as a
newly-developed highlight, a fully heated wiper blade. This
effectively prevents the formation of snow on the wiper
blades, so typical in winter. To do this each of the spring
rails of the blade is equipped with a heater foil with an
output of 35 watts per blade. It heats the spoiler and the
wipe lip. Snow and ice cannot freeze onto the blade; it
remains supple in winter, too, and always cleans well.
The heating is also controlled as required according to the
duration of operation and the outside temperature. It is
only below a temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius that
the system makes use of the entire system's maximum
output, 270 watts. Between 5 degrees above and 20 degrees
below zero the heating operates in an energy-saving mode
and only requires the output needed to thaw out the
wiper/washer system and keep it free of snow and ice.