Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,852,573) for “systems with synchronized windows” with “adjustable transparency” for a car.
In the patent data, Apple says that vehicle occupants often desire privacy. Privacy sunshades may be raised to cover windows to provide privacy, but can block an occupant’s view out of the windows.
Apple says that one-way mirror coatings or tints can be formed on the side windows of a vehicle to enhance privacy, but these arrangements may cause the windows to be too shiny or too dark. The tech giant adds that it can be challenging to provide vehicle windows with desired characteristics. If care isn’t taken, windows may be too reflective, may be insufficiently transparent for viewing, may have an appearance that is insufficiently flexible, or may have other undesired attributes.
Here’s the summary of Apple’s idea: “The windows may include liquid crystal devices and polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices that exhibit adjustable amounts of light transmission and haze. An optical property of a window such as window transparency may be modulated using an alternating-current modulation waveform. Modulation of the transparency of the window may be synchronized with modulated light output from a light source. The light source may be located inside the vehicle or may be located outside of the vehicle. By synchronizing the modulation of the transparency of the window with the light source output, privacy may be enhanced or glare may be reduced.”
As I’ve said before, I don’t think Apple will make a vehicle from scratch. Instead, I think it will team up with current car manufactures to assist them in implementing its many “Apple Car” ideas.
