Out of curiosity... Black sensor looking thing above rear view mirror.

[TinSnips]

yep - always inside. Every maker (which is why the Golf's windscreen cost so fkn much to replace! lol)

 

[VTSS350]

ok, on the inside of the window for a rain sensor sounds a bit odd but i will take your word for it. Thanks

Why is it odd? Thats where they have always been.

 

[gottavecalaisv]

just seems odd that it would be on the inside and not the outside!

 

[VTSS350]

just seems odd that it would be on the inside and not the outside!

Outside where it needs to be 100% waterproof, resist stones and birds. It also needs to be totally intergrated into the outside of the car so it looks good.

When you think about all the extra design stuff required to fit it outside putting it inside makes a lot of sence!

 

[jasonsv6]

the sensing electrods go through the screen to the outside

 

[Krustyone]

There are no electrodes going through the windscreen.

The sensors are capacitive and therefore sense the presence of raindrops on the windscreen and is calibrated as a percentage of the windscreen.

 

[The X Man]

Capacitive? Not quite.

The rain sensor projects infrared light into the windshield at a 45-degree angle. If the glass is dry, most of this light is reflected back into the sensor by the front of the windshield. If water droplets are on the glass, they reflect the light in different directions. The wetter the glass, the less light makes it back into the sensor. The electronics in the sensor turn on the wipers when the amount of light reflected onto the sensor decreases to a preset level. The software sets the speed of the wipers based on how fast the moisture builds up between wipes. It can operate the wipers at any speed. The system adjusts the speed as often as necessary to match with the rate of moisture accumulation.