A system for automatically deploying a windshield wiper blade to a deployed position includes one or more processors, an actuator coupled to the windshield wiper blade and communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, one or more optical sensors communicatively coupled to the one or more processors that output an optical signal, and one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more memory modules store logic that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to receive the optical signal output by the one or more optical sensors, detect whether an accumulation of a substance has formed on the vehicle based on the optical signal output by the one or more optical sensors, and deploy, with the actuator, the windshield wiper blade to the deployed position in response to detecting the accumulation of the substance.