Predictive windshield wiper system

1. A windshield-wiper system, comprising:

a controller in communication with a precipitation-detector, a windshield-wiper actuator, and an object-detector;

the precipitation-detector configured to detect precipitation proximate to a host-vehicle;

the windshield-wiper actuator configured to clear the precipitation from a windshield of the host-vehicle; and

the object-detector configured to detect a distance of an object to the host-vehicle;

said controller determines when the precipitation is present based on the precipitation-detector, determines the distance from the object to the host-vehicle based on the object-detector, and adjusts a speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the precipitation is detected and the object is less than a distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle; wherein

the distance-threshold is defined based on an identity of the object.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object is an other-vehicle that is traveling toward the host-vehicle in an adjacent-lane, wherein the controller increases the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the other-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object is a lead-vehicle that is traveling ahead of the host-vehicle, wherein the controller increases the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the lead-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object is an overpass, wherein the controller reduces the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when a leading-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

5. The system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the controller further determines when the host-vehicle will emerge from beneath the overpass and increases the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the distance of a trailing-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the precipitation-detector is a camera.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the precipitation-detector is an optical-device mounted to an inside-surface of the windshield that detects the precipitation on the windshield of the host-vehicle.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the distance-threshold is varied based on the identity of the object.

9. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the distance-threshold is varied based on the relative rate-of-closure between the object and the host-vehicle.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the distance-threshold is varied based on the type and rate of the precipitation.

11. A method of operating a windshield-wiper system, comprising:

detecting, with a precipitation-detector, precipitation proximate to a host-vehicle;

clearing, with a windshield-wiper actuator, the precipitation from a windshield of the host-vehicle;

detecting, with an object-detector, a distance of an object to the host-vehicle; and

determining, with a controller in communication with the precipitation-detector, the windshield-wiper actuator, and the object-detector, when the precipitation is present based on the precipitation-detector, determining the distance from the object to the host-vehicle based on the object-detector, and adjusting a speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when precipitation is detected and the object is less than a distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle; wherein

the distance-threshold is defined based on an identity of the object.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the object is an other-vehicle that is traveling toward the host-vehicle in an adjacent-lane, further including the step of increasing, with the controller, the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the other-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the object is a lead-vehicle that is traveling ahead of the host-vehicle, further including the step of increasing, with the controller, the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the lead-vehicle is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

14. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the object is an overpass, further including the step of reducing, with the controller, the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when a leading-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 , further including the steps of determining, with the controller, when the host-vehicle will emerge from beneath the overpass and increasing the speed of the windshield-wiper actuator when the distance of a trailing-edge of the overpass is less than the distance-threshold away from the host-vehicle.

16. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the distance-threshold is varied based on the identity of the object.

17. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the distance-threshold is varied based on the relative rate-of-closure between the object and the host-vehicle.

18. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the distance-threshold is varied based on the type and rate of the precipitation.