This Old-School Add-On Was The Solution For Foggy Windows Before Modern In-Car Tech

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Drivers know the procedure after getting into the car in the winter; you start the engine, turn on the defroster, and wait for the windows to get a little clearer. This might take a while, depending on the type of vehicle you drive, and no one likes waiting for it. In almost every car, climate vents mounted below the windshield take care of the job in the front, while those lines in the rear window take care of that job for the rear window. However, this wasn't always the case.

Even though every road car today uses the exact same technology for defogging windows, there was a time when cars didn't have any sort of device to defog the rear window. One solution was the rear window defroster kit, also known as an anti-mist panel, which worked on a completely different principle. Instead of lines built into the rear window that contained heating elements to defrost the window in the cold, there was a clear film. You would install it on the rear window, similar to a window tint, and it would prevent fogging up, because the film was coated in an anti-fogging material.

Of course, while anti-mist panels were quite useful on classic cars that didn't have rear defrosters, the appearance of heating elements in rear windows across just about every production car — especially from the factory — made the panels practically useless. They would eventually be phased out totally, since front defrosters are a safe way to defrost your car's windshield during the winter. That being said, you can still buy similar products today off Amazon.

These so-called defroster kits essentially add the heating elements to the rear window if your car doesn't have them. They connect to the battery in most cases, and if you drive an older car with no rear defroster, this is a great solution that will make life a little easier if it's cold outside. The original anti-mist panels weren't all that effective, although some owners maintain that they were lifesavers on winter journeys. One notable downside is that the anti-fog coating on the anti-mist panel would degrade over time, which would make it way less effective. The film would also have issues with darkening and falling off, more than likely due to weakening adhesive. Cons aside, it's fun to look back and see the solution that clever minds and car owners came up with during a time when a rear window defroster wasn't a thing.