Apple Car Automatic Tint
A patent filed by Apple shows that its future cars may have automatic and adjustable window tinting capability. (Photo: Angus Gray/Unsplash(BY CC 2.0))

A patent filed by Apple shows that its future cars may have automatic and adjustable window tinting capability for the protection and privacy of its occupants.

Having a car with tinted windows accord you a greater degree of privacy and protect you against prying eyes especially on bright sunny days. The problem, though, comes at nighttime when most drivers admit having difficulty when the car's windows are tinted, particularly if the tint is really dark. This may come to pass soon if Apple has its way. A patent that the company filed shows that its future cars will have automatic window tinting capability that can be adjusted based on the driver's preferences. Apple said that having such a feature will help provide the vehicle's occupants with better privacy and safety.

   

Applying a tint to the car's windows has a variety of purposes. For one, it blocks out the unforgiving sunlight, particularly during a hot summer day. It also keeps a car cooler and allows you to have the air conditioner work only for a fraction of what it would do for a vehicle without tinted windows. A tint also helps keep curious eyes from prying on what the vehicle contains or what goes on inside it. With the patent that the Cupertino-based tech giant filed, you may soon see cars with automatic window tinting capability and at the same time, giving owners the option to adjust the tint based on their own preferences.

Many vehicle owners would like to give their car windows a dark tint, though they sometimes cannot do so because of several factors. For one, it is very difficult to see at night with heavily-tinted windows as it impairs your ability to monitor the periphery. Aside from this, there are also states and cities with laws and ordinances that prohibit you from driving a car with a really dark tint, especially during nighttime. While the rules on some of these places are somewhat relaxed during hot summer days, implementation is strict at nighttime. With Apple car's automatic window tinting capability and with tint hues that can be adjusted based on user preferences, limited visibility and legal issues may be avoided.

On April 21, Apple filed its automatic window tinting capability with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent described the Apple car window with integrated control circuitry that makes it possible for the vehicle's occupants to automatically apply a tint to the windows. It also has a control that gives the occupants the option to adjust the heaviness or lightness of the car tints. According to the patent, the car windows consist of several adjustable layers for tint, reflectivity, and haze. The patent also described the process where the layers, which are sandwiched between glass window layers, could work in many ways.

Apple said that its car window tinting system gathers data, through smart sensors, which then automatically applies tint to the windows based on environment, haze, and other elements. The vehicle owner can also make some changes to the standard parameters of the system, making it possible for them to adjust the hue based on their own preferences.