How does the rain sensor work?

[toddjb123]

Just curious - not sure where the sensor is or how it knows it is raining. (just read in the windshield post that this is part of the windshield?!)

thx

 

[grommet]

If it's the system I'm familiar with, an infrared beam is reflected off the outside of the glass to a infrared sensor array. No magic glass. The system adapts to glass variations.

 

[Freeflytim]

What grommet said...

The laser detector on my Valentine 1 goes crazy when its pointed at certain angles on the windscreen. My theory was that something was bouncing a light source off the windscreen.

And I always thought it had something to do with the rain sensor.

So, I guess I was right!

 

[toddjb123]

Interesting.

Where is the infrared transmitter located?

There does seem to be a large black area behind the rear view mirror, I was wondering if some transmitter or receiver is behind the glass there.