It appears that my long running windshield saga has drawn to a close. Today, in the rain appropriately enough, the fourth technician, on the fifth visit, replaced the gel pack under the sensor and, believe it or not the wipers started wiping automatically again.
Woohoo!
The next time the windshield cracks I’m going to leave the car on the highway, by an underpass, in the wrong part of town, where it can be stripped to the axles or out-right stolen. Getting a new car through the insurance will be simpler, and less time consuming, than getting the glass replaced.