Tesla Patents Eyelid-Inspired Self-Cleaning System for Vehicle Cameras

Tesla has been granted a patent for a new onboard camera cleaning system. The system integrates a liquid spray mechanism and a mechanical wiping component around the camera lens to remove dust, water spots, mud, snow, and other debris from the lens surface. It features a small built-in reservoir and spray mechanism that directly dispenses cleaning fluid onto the lens, followed by a miniature wiper blade that moves along the curved surface of the lens to complete the cleaning process—functioning similarly to how human eyelids moisten and clean the eyeball. Unlike conventional windshield wipers that oscillate across flat glass, this design employs a compact rotating wiper blade that conforms precisely to the lens curvature, maintaining constant, close contact with the lens surface. The entire cleaning assembly is fully integrated into the camera housing, eliminating the need for external nozzles or bulky cleaning equipment. This compact integration helps preserve the camera’s small form factor, making it suitable for space-constrained locations such as fender panels and B-pillars without requiring modifications to existing mounting configurations. Tesla stated that the system can utilize various cleaning media depending on environmental conditions, including water, alcohol-based solutions, automotive windshield washer fluid, lubricants, and other cleaning agents. Compared to the high-pressure water spray method currently used on the Model Y autonomous taxi and Cybercab, this new approach offers superior performance in removing stubborn contaminants like insect residue and is particularly effective for cleaning cameras mounted in highly exposed areas such as the front bumper.