Bosch Upgrades Premium ICON Beam Blade

Robert Bosch LLC has added ClearMax 365 to its premium Bosch ICON Wiper Blade line, which the company says offers up to 40 percent longer blade life.

ClearMax 365 is a synthetic rubber compound bonded both physically and chemically with a polymer powder coating. According to Bosch, this patented technology provides consistent, streak-free visibility year-round and resists damage due to external contaminants like ozone, road debris such as salt and grime, as well as chemicals and waxes.

“With Bosch innovation driving its continued premium-level performance, Bosch ICON has consistently held the top spot in the beam blade category since its introduction in 2005,” said Martin Kashnowski, director, product management, Wiper Systems, Robert Bosch LLC, Automotive Aftermarket NA. “The new Bosch ICON Wiper Blade with ClearMax 365 is designed to offer a quieter performance and up to 40 percent longer life versus other premium beam blades.”

According to Kashnowski, ClearMax 365 adds a permanently bonded coating to the rubber wiping edge that helps it maintain its shape and form over the life of the blade. The rubber remains pliable and does not crack. Furthermore, with its lower friction coefficient compared to other Bosch rubber formulations, ClearMax 365 is able to provide smoother and quieter performance than its competitors.

In general, the curved, ‘bracketless’ design of beam blades applies more uniform pressure across the entire length of the blade ensuring a clean, consistent wipe. The exclusive Bosch ICON tension spring arcing technology creates a fit that is custom-contoured to the curvature of each side of the windshield. The correct ICON blade for a particular vehicle, therefore, is a combination of the curvature of the windshield and the length of the blade. For this reason, Bosch offers separate blades (with an A or B in the part number) for the driver’s side and the passenger’s side of a vehicle. Bosch ICON also features a weather-shielded connector, which resists ice and snow buildup in extreme winter weather.

Packaging for the new Bosch ICON Wiper Blade with ClearMax 365 has been redesigned to communicate the new blade’s distinctive features and engage consumers at retail. Enhancements include the ClearMax 365 shield, the use of embossing and foiling techniques that convey the blade’s premium look and feel, and vibrant blue, extreme weather imagery to infuse emotional appeal.

The Bosch ICON with ClearMax 365 program consists of 29 part numbers providing 96 percent coverage of U.S. vehicles in operation, including top lock narrow and side lock narrow OE applications for Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

“Bosch has been bringing innovative wiper systems technology to market for over 80 years. Our experience with OEMs puts us in a unique position to bring these innovations to the aftermarket. New Bosch ICON with ClearMax 365 represents our newest patented innovation, bringing even better wiper performance and longer service life to motorists,” Kashnowski said.

For further details on the Bosch portfolio of wiper blades, visit: http://www.boschautoparts.com/wiper-blades.

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In 1980 in the United states, a total of 51,091 people died in 45,284 fatal crashes involving 63,485 vehicles. 22.5 people of every 100,000 people in the country were killed on America’s highways.

Over the next 30 years, all kinds of technologies were introduced to reduce these numbers. Airbags, ABS brakes, electronic stability control, adaptive cruise control, other early level ADAS, improved tires and many other items helped drive down the accident rate. By 2011, the fatality rate was down to 32,479, with 29,867 crashes involving 44,119 vehicles. 10.5 people of every 100,000 people in the country were killed on the highway, despite higher congestion, higher population and more powerful cars.