Modern Car Windshield: How Strong are They?

Did you know that a sheet of glass, pulled lengthwise, is 5 times stronger than steel?

Surprisingly, glass isn’t a fragile element anymore. It can now be tempered, laminated, and strengthened to lower the risk of impact, intrusion, and stress-induced breakage. Also, the unique toughening process makes the glass invulnerable to tensile stress. This is why the processed glass possesses high-level strength.

Presently, the automotive industry puts equal emphasis on style and safety components. Defogging, defrosting, UV and IV protection, you name it – today, car windshields are smarter than ever, being manufactured using innovative technology and possessing high functionality. Other features that can be integrated into the windshield of car include rain sensors, GPS, radio, Wi-Fi, etc to optimise the driving experience; although, the inclusion of these features will take some time.

In this article, we will explore how strong a modern car windshield is.

The Science behind Modern Car Windshield

The end objective of every windshield of car is to provide safety to the passengers. And how do car windshields do that? Simply put – a windshield’s strength depends on the strength of the glass used to manufacture it.

Generally, most modern car windshields are manufactured using laminated safety glass – which is stronger and safer than normal annealed glass. During the process of car windshield manufacturing, three different layers are involved – the two outside layers are made of annealed glass sheets while the middle layer is a special strip of Polyvinyl Butyral (PBV) that holds the two panes together. In case the windshield of car breaks, the broken shards of laminated glass will not fly off on impact but remain stuck to the special PVB interlayer. In essence, this is what makes modern windshield of car more secure and safe against the damaging elements.

Are Modern Car Windshields Stronger?

Because of their superior strength, modern car windshields are capable of performing several safety functions.

Protects against the Elements

As the name itself suggests, a windshield of car is a shield against heavy wind loads that may cause the vehicle to become topsy-turvy. This can give us a pretty good idea of how strong windshield glass must be. Additionally, the windscreen of your car is also responsible for protecting against other external elements like wind-borne debris, hailstones, dirt, etc.

This function of the windshield is especially useful in safeguarding the lives of passengers; more so, those sitting in the front. 

Provides Structural Support to the Car’s Roof

When speaking about structural integrity, the windshield of car does not merely complete the look of the vehicle. Though it is true that sans the windshield glass, your car would look quite odd, it is the fact that it prevents the car’s roof from caving in, even and especially during accidents which makes it a crucial component.

In case of a front-end collision, the windshield offers 45% of the structural integrity your car needs and in case of a rollover accident, the windscreen offers 60% of the required structural integrity. This function of the windshield has often safeguarded occupants’ lives by not allowing the car’s roof to crush them. 

Facilitates Airbag Deployment

Earlier, it was common to hear of passenger death because of lack of appropriate safety systems for restraint. However, modern-day cars have special airbag safety systems installed, responsible for cushioning flailing passengers, preventing them from suffering serious injuries in case of a crash. But, this airbag system relies on a strong windshield to function effectively.

If the windshield of car is made of low-quality glass, improperly installed, or weakened as a result of chips and cracks, it will fail to provide proper airbag support, leaving passengers vulnerable in case of a sudden head-on collision. 

Prevents Passenger Ejection

Out of the many reasons for passenger ejection in case of a sudden impact, defective seatbelts is found to be the most common. It is then, the windshield of car that is responsible for keeping passengers from being thrown out of the vehicle. However, only a strong and top-shape windshield can adequately perform this function.

Moreover, even if the windshield does sustain some damage or breaks owing to the intensity of the accident and the speed of the vehicle, it will still not cause any major injuries – intrinsically, windshield glass pieces, upon breakage, remain stuck to the special PVB interlayer and do not scatter around.

The Bottom line

From safety’s standpoint, a windshield of car is nothing short of a modern marvel. So much so that now, many car windshields have become a part of the safety system along with airbags and seatbelts. Therefore, modern car windshields are manufactured using innovative glass solutions to be sturdier, stronger, and more durable.

Looking for car windshield repair or replacement near you? AIS Windshield Experts can help!

A subsidiary of AIS Group Company, AIS Windshield Experts offers high-quality car windshield repair and replacement services whenever and wherever you are. Our team of technicians is trained and equipped with the right tools to provide fast, hassle-free, and accurate automotive care. You can seek services in our 90+ service centres, spread across 50+ cities in India. Moreover, we also offer a one-year written warranty on our workmanship and materials used.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today and avail our quality windshield repair and replacement services!