To All The Cars I've Loved Before: Classic Car Restoration, JDM, and Automotive History Jun 4, 2025

Detroit Basement, 1963: The Wiper Invention That Beat the Big Three

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Term

vacuum carburation

Vacuum carburation is a way to mix fuel and air in an engine using the vacuum created when the engine pulls air in. It's an older technology that has mostly been replaced by more modern systems.

Part

intermittent windshield wiper electronic control

Intermittent windshield wiper electronic control lets the windshield wipers pause for a moment between wipes, instead of wiping all the time. This is useful when it's drizzling or misty outside.

LIVE

Hey, thanks for making some time in your schedule today.

And you have a unique, you're an interesting guy, but some very storied family history around

the automotive industry arena.

So can you tell us your familial tie to the automotive industry?

Well, I was a little kid growing up in the city of Detroit.

My dad, being part of the automotive culture there, heard that they were trying to improve

the mileage on cars.

This was way back in 1963, and they were having a hard time with vacuum carburation, so they

wanted to make some electronic components, and he developed the intermittent windshield

wiper electronic control.

So interesting.

And one of these things that's so brilliantly integrated into everyone's life right now,

you can't think of a machine without that.

About this episode

A fascinating dive into the history of automotive innovation, focusing on the invention of the intermittent windshield wiper in 1963. The guest shares personal stories about growing up in Detroit and his father's pivotal role in developing this technology that transformed vehicle functionality. The discussion highlights the challenges faced by the automotive industry at the time and how this invention became a standard feature in cars, showcasing the impact of small innovations on everyday life.

intermittent windshield wiper electronic control vacuum carburation

Original notes

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!

Think windshield wipers are boring? Think again. In this 60‑second bonus clip, Tim Kearns reveals how his father, engineering professor Dr. Robert Kearns, dreamed up the intermittent windshield wiper in a Detroit basement, sued the auto giants that copied it, and won one of the largest individual patent settlements in automotive history—later immortalized in the film Flash of Genius. Hear Tim set the record straight on the garage‑born innovation that now clears rain on every modern car and the uphill legal battle that rewrote IP law for tinkerers everywhere.

If you geek out on home‑grown car tech, classic‑Detroit lore, or courtroom showdowns against Ford and Chrysler, hit play and add a new slice of automotive history to your trivia toolbox. Follow To All the Cars I’ve Loved Before for weekly nostalgia‑fuelled stories and share your own car memories at CarsLoved.com

Tim's favorite episode is "Classic Cars & Automotive Adventures: From Trabant to Tucker"
https://pod.link/1733902541/episode/a2d0f95592fd0bb64329a53b015f8bfe

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