Modern Windshields: A 4,000
Year Old Space-Age Marvel

The worlds oldest societies introduced us to glass making about four thousand years ago. It was rare and at least as precious as gold according to the Bible, even while having many imperfections. Efforts to improve glass quality continued over the years though limits to these improvements existed until about the last forty years. In these last forty years glass has gone from being extremely fragile and lacking clarity in one form or another to using infrared in windshields that not only reflects heat away from the passenger compartment but also provides improved visibility of potential dangers on roadways. Not to mention that windshields now make up to 70% of the structural safety of vehicles on the road today.

Glass was originally made by combining sand, soda, and extreme heat. Ancient glass makers protected their methods, keeping them secret to maintain their reputations as glass makers. Only the very élite could afford the glass products made during this time. Venice, Italy, as well as other famous places, still protect their methods and formulas.

Today, everyone uses glass in one way or another. Glass has gone from fragile to being able to serve as part of the safety structure of vehicles. Windshields can withstand and protect a vehicle’s occupants from debris and winds that commonly reach seventy miles an hour. While doing this, the windshield must maintain optical clarity and should the windshield break, it now breaks in even, small pieces that stay together rather than breaking into dangerous shards of glass that can fall on or be blown into the passenger compartment of a vehicle causing severe injuries and even death. Glass with these attributes is known as safety, or tempered glass.

Bullet resistant glass has also been designed within the last few decades by using more layers of glass and plastic laminates with glass of varying degrees of hardness. This area continues to see improvements that will make a lighter, thinner, and stronger product. There is even a bullet resistant windshield that allows for occupants of a vehicle to shoot bullets through the windshield without destroying its safety features even while those outside of the vehicle cannot penetrate through the windshield into the passenger compartment.

Infrared windshields reflect heat away from the passenger compartment. Other exciting uses of infrared in windshields are presently in development.GM is previewing an enhanced windshield vision system using paper-thin film that converts infrared light into visible light which allows drivers to see better at night. There are numerous sensors on the outside of the vehicle providing feedback data into a system that would be displayed across the entire windshield. This would bring important road signs to the drivers’ attention such as speed signs. It would highlight the edges of  roads, exits, and objects in the road such as animals or people. In effect, we could drive in snow, driving rainfall, and fog while still clearly seeing important road signs, lanes, and unexpected objects in the road. 

With such a jump in technology, it will be exciting to see all the new discoveries in the near future. Glass manufacturing has come far. And most of the improvements have been to the benefit of our safety. All we as drivers need to do is a small amount of maintenance and when required to repair or replace a windshield be sure we use a well qualified, National Glass Association certified shop whose technicians are also certified. That doesn’t seem like too much to ask.

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SunTec Auto Glass is a family-owned business located in Arizona, serving most of Maricopa and Pinal counties. We are auto glass repair professionals and specialize in windshield replacement, auto glass repair, window tinting and glass etching. The installation team at Suntec Auto Glass maintains the highest level of certification available in the windshield repair and auto glass replacement industry. From headlights to taillights, from the east valley to west valley, whether you are looking to have a windshield replaced or even a side window replaced such as a door glass, quarter glass, or vent glass the team at Suntec Auto Glass can do it. If you live in Morenci, Payson, or Star Valley look no further. For professional help and premium quality automotive glass, parts and moldings. Contact us today.

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(480) 782-5489