Ferrari Files Patent For Curious Central Pillar Splitting The Windshield In Two

Ferrari has filed a patent for an intriguing F1-inspired halo that could be used in future models from the Italian marque.

In a patent recently filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Ferrari describes a structural pillar that runs down the center of the windshield similar to how the halo used in F1 cars has a central beam directly in front of the cockpit.

As reported on TheDrive, two different solutions are described in the patent. The first would see this central pillar mounted externally in front of the windshield or instead flanked by two individual windshields, one in front of the driver and one in front of the passenger. Windshield wipers could be hidden behind this central pillar to improve aerodynamics.

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Ferrari believes that the presence of this central spine would act as a key structural piece and allow the company to reduce the width of a vehicle’s A-pillars. What’s more, the spine could help direct air into the cabin and allow for the use of a rear-mounted air conditioning system.

To negate the visibility issues that could be caused by having a large pillar running down the center of the windshield, Ferrari would use an external camera system to capture images of what’s in front of the car and project them onto the windshield.

The patent says that the design could work with both fixed and convertible tops.

As is always the case, there’s no certainty that this intriguing piece of design will make its way into production. If it does, future Ferrari models could look quite different than current ones.