As with most business industries, technology constantly drives the windshield repair and automotive industry forward. Car design and manufacturing processes look for new and innovative ways to bring advanced features to car models. These new developments help keep brands competitive as the automotive industry grows and changes. 

As a leader in windshield repair, we’ve seen many changes in auto glass throughout the years. Let’s look at some of the leading developments in windshield technology for 2022.  

4 Advanced in Windshield Glass and Repairs in 2022

Over the past several years, windshields have changed significantly from the plain glass used in the past. Here are four significant advances we’ve seen as one of the top Vancouver windshield repair companies:

1. Panoramic Windshields

Brought into the auto industry by Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, panoramic windshields hit the market with the Tesla Model X. Considered the largest all-glass windshield available today, this auto glass spans 31 square feet of surface area. One of the advantages of these windshields is that they stretch over the driver and passenger, beyond the standard roofline, to add visibility to your vehicle. They also add significant natural light to your car. While Tesla is currently the only make of vehicle using the panoramic windshield, we can expect to see these emerge with more brands as the years go on. Although windshield repair is more costly with the added square footage, the benefits of these panoramic windshields seem to outweigh any expenses. 

2. Smart Car Glass

Just as you can take advantage of innovative technology features in your home, we’re starting to see smart car glass hit the market. Electrochromic glass is emerging with some of the leading luxury sports car manufacturers. It enables the driver to limit the amount of sunlight coming into the vehicle, increasing visibility and comfort. From a windshield repair perspective, changing the amount of light decreases glare and improves road safety. You can also reduce energy consumption, limiting air conditioning usage. 

3. Heated Front Windshields

Many brands have adapted this feature, with heated front windshields being an excellent option for environments with cold winters. Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and Land Rover are all offering heated front windshields. Some advantages are their ability to defog and defrost faster than standard windshields. Due to wiring sandwiched within these windshields, windshield repair is more expensive and complicated. However, the advantages are well worth the costs. 

4. Wiper-Free Windshields

While this concept is still in the works, some luxury vehicles are working on offering windshields that don’t need wipers to clear rain and snow. These use an ultrasonic force that causes moisture to slide off the glass. Since they apply sound waves to the surface of the glass, you can expect windshield repair to be more complicated than with traditional auto glass. 

Contact Avenue Auto Glass for Help with Your Windshield Repairs and Upgrades

Whether looking for windshield repairs or the latest industry upgrades, Avenue Auto Glass offers a higher level of service for your needs. We stay on top of the latest industry advances and trends to ensure you get the highest level of service with your auto glass work. Contact our Vancouver windshield repair experts today to discuss your options and schedule an appointment.

The windshield is an integral part of a vehicle designed to filter dust, harmful rays, dirt particles, and raindrops from entering into the vehicle. More importantly, the windshield holds the frame of the vehicle, so it doesn’t fall apart under impact. Today, the windshield has seen some advancements in modern technology; as such, it is playing some roles. One of such roles is improved fuel efficiency.

The windshields designed today are made with AIS solar glass which is a specialized glass with enhanced heat absorption abilities. The glass keeps the inner temperature of the vehicle cool and stable by sucking up the unwanted heat in the vehicle. Also, the glass keeps the interior temperature warm or cool enough according to the weather condition at a given time thus keeping the AC requirement to the barest minimum and improving fuel efficiency to significant levels.

While driving on the highway, most car owners or drivers have two major concern which defines the action they take on the road. One is the safety of the passenger and other road users considering that they value their lives and that of others. Another factor that is a major concern to road users is fuel consumption. At the rate by which some cars consume fuel, it’s safe to consider fuel efficiency. Fuel efficiency is the concern of most car owners; even at the point of purchase, some people put the fuel efficiency of a car into account before buying it. Thanks to the windshield designed today, both fuel efficiency and the safety of the occupants in the car is greatly improved.

Laminated glass is also one of the materials used to make windshield. Laminated glass which is a safety glass holds the windshield together in case of breakage. Laminated glass is produced by creating an ethylene-vinyl acetate or polyvinyl butyral between the glass layers. More importantly, laminated glass helps to boost the fuel efficiency of a vehicle. The air cooling system of a car consumes a considerable amount of fuel; laminated glass works by reducing the heat produced by the vehicle thus reducing the load resting on the cooling system. Researches and tests have shown that laminated glass used in the place of standard glass helps to reduce the inner temperature of vehicles by 6-7 degrees. As a car owner, you can coat a laminated windshield glass with infrared so you can park your car outside under any condition be it in the cold or hot weather. Laminated glass reduces the workload on the vehicle’s air conditioner thus improving fuel efficiency.

Furthermore, the lightweight of the laminated glass is another factor that helps to improve fuel efficiency. It’s no surprise that car owners are now demanding for lightweight products considering that they boost the performance of vehicles.

For every 0.5mm reduction in thickness of a windshield, there is a reduction of 3kg per square meter in weight. So it’s safe to conclude that laminated glass improves fuel efficiency and also reduces the weight of the windshield.

In February 2017, ICBC began offering free windshield repair for policyholders that have the optional comprehensive coverage. ICBC says this is a cost-effective alternative to windshield replacement and will be the first choice of the corporation when it is safe to do so. A windshield chip repair costs about $70 compared to more than $800 for a new one.

In 2016, ICBC handled over 109,000 claims for broken or damaged windshields. The repair option will reduce that number by 10% or more. Todd Stone, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, says that this change to the policy will benefit more than 2.5 million people by saving ICBC approximately $7 million per year in replacement costs. In addition, more than 8000 windshields will be diverted from landfills and remain in use, sometimes for the life of the vehicle.

In rural areas where glass replacement services are more time-consuming and require special order parts, repair rather than replacement is the preferred choice. The number of gravel roads, which cause more rock chips, in rural areas sometimes outnumber paved roads. Donna Barnett, the Minister of State for Rural Economic Development says, “Moving toward windshield repair rather than a full replacement – when possible – is something that will hugely benefit residents in my community and more rural parts of B.C. Not only will it make dealing with a chipped windshield more convenient, but it will contribute toward lowering the pressures on insurance rates, which is a win-win.”

Vehicle glass repair shops licensed by ICBC, including Avenue Auto Glass, have technicians with the required training and experience to repair many different types of windshield chips, cracks, and impact points like the “star-break” or “half-moon” indent that is common. The next time you have a chip, crack, ding, or break, call us to have it fixed right away and, if you’re an ICBC comprehensive policyholder, remember that the repair is always free of charge.

Don’t take chances with your safety in the car, and that includes not taking chances with your car’s windshield damage. Bring it in for a repair as soon as you need it, and let us make sure that your windshield keeps you safe and secure inside your car for years to come. Contact the windshield and auto glass experts here at Avenue Auto Glass by phone at 604-765-1790, or visit us at 636 Clark Drive, Vancouver BC V5L 3H8.