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Stellantis is trying to patent heated wheel wells to maintain snow and ice from build up throughout winter driving.
This function is described in a patent software revealed by america Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) Oct. 31, 2024, however filed by Stellantis Apr. 25, 2023. As described within the submitting, it could depend on an electrical heating aspect embedded within the wheel nicely, with a wire or different connection to produce energy from the automobile.
Stellantis heated wheel nicely patent picture
The heating aspect can be sandwiched between the automobile’s physique and a wheel-well liner, the latter being uncovered to the weather to guard the heating aspect and its wiring. Warmth would nonetheless have the ability to soak by way of the wheel-well liner to soften ice and snow, in keeping with Stellantis.
The automaker additionally addressed a conductive movie for the heating aspect, which might be utilized on to a given floor, noting that it might be higher suited to make use of in electrical autos and plug-in hybrids, which draw energy for wheel-well heating from their excessive voltage battery packs.
Stellantis heated wheel nicely patent picture
As Stellantis notes within the software, snow and ice can construct up and kind massive chunks. These can break off unexpectedly and create an disagreeable shock for following drivers, or cowl cameras and sensors used for driver-assist programs, in addition to impair deployable facet steps—like those out there on Stellantis’ Ram pickup vehicles.
Not all patented concepts attain manufacturing, however this might be a reasonably simple but sensible function, not in contrast to the deployable front-seat tables Stellantis additionally tried to patent lately.
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