Method and apparatus for the melting of snow and ice from vehicle exteriors

An apparatus for melting snow from exterior portion of the vehicle roof, the apparatus comprising:

• a precipitation sensor;
• an ambient temperature sensor;
• a surface temperature sensor;
• a heater embedded within the vehicle roof, wherein the heater is disposed between a thermally conductive layer and an insulating layer of the vehicle roof;
• wherein the thermally conductive layer comprises at least one of thermally conductive clips, wireways pre-formed with the roof, thermally conductive clips, wireways affixed to the roof by means of welding or thermally conductive adhesives, and pre-wired, thermally conductive polymer substrate assembly in which a heating cable is embedded, said assembly then being secured to underside of the roof by means of screws, bolts or clips with receivers formed in the roof, and wherein the insulating layer of the vehicle roof is installed to cover a passenger compartment or a cargo bay side of the vehicle, configured to minimize heat transfer into the passenger compartment or the cargo bay, wherein the heater is at least one of the group consisting of an electric heater and a hydronic heater, wherein the electric heater is electrically coupled to at least one of the group consisting of, an alternator, an onboard power system, and one or more remote electric power sources, via a relay;
• and
• a programmable controller configured to activate and deactivate the heater, the programmable controller comprising:
• a memory unit to store a cut off surface temperature, and a set of program modules, and
• a processor to execute the set of program modules, wherein the set of program modules comprises:
• an input module, executed by the processor, configured to:
• receive information regarding an ambient temperature outside the vehicle via the ambient temperature sensor,
• receive information regarding one of presence and absence of precipitation outside the vehicle, via the precipitation sensor, and
• receive information regarding a surface temperature on an exterior portion of the vehicle via the surface temperature sensor;
• and
• a heater control module, executed by the processor, configured to:
• deactivate the heater based on the surface temperature being greater than the cut off surface temperature, and
• activate the heater based on:
• the ambient temperature being lower than a freezing point of water, and precipitation outside the vehicle being present, thereby melting snow and/or ice on the vehicle roof.