Ten things the windscreen can do that you might not know about

The windscreen is one of the components of the car that fulfils its function perfectly. Basically, it protects the driver and the rest of the car’s occupants from the air generated by driving. But that is not its only function, since the windscreen accounts for 30% of the vehicle’s structural strength, helping to prevent the roof from collapsing in the event of a rollover.

It also serves as support for the passenger airbag and helps contain the weight of the occupant inside the vehicle in the event of a collision. And if that were not enough, most of the information we need to drive reaches us through it, since it is the window onto the outside through which we travel. But technology is advancing rapidly, and the windscreen now has more functions and uses every year. Let us look at some of those that have been incorporated recently, as pointed out by Carglass.

In the most highly equipped models, driver assistance systems include several sensor modules, and the windscreen is one of the places where some of them can be hidden. The ADAS systems are responsible for detecting lane changes or activating emergency braking. When the windscreen is replaced, this system must be deactivated and the damaged sensors replaced if necessary. Afterwards, they must be refitted in their original position and returned to operation.

The windscreens of the most modern cars also serve as a Head-Up Display, that useful device that projects the car’s information onto the glass so that the driver does not have to take their eyes off the road. Vision also benefits from modern windscreens, which block up to 90% of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, and some models also use a filter for infrared rays, which improves the cabin’s climate control.

Other windscreens improve the car’s sound insulation with a specific laminate that reduces outside noise by 30%, improving comfort inside the cabin. These acoustic filters eliminate low and high frequencies, and even the sound of rain hitting the windscreen.

Similarly, current windscreens can be fitted with a thermal defrosting system that spares drivers the unpleasant surprise of having to scrape the windscreen on very cold days. The system differs from the rear heated window, is much more discreet, and allows full visibility to be restored in a short time.

Finally, we should mention windscreens for armoured vehicles, which are becoming very popular in some rather troubled parts of the world. The new armoured windscreens offer greater protection and, in their most basic model, 25 mm thick, can withstand one to three hits from a medium-calibre pistol. In the case of a high-level armoured vehicle, level 9, the glass is 80 mm thick and withstands assault rifle fire.

The windscreen may seem to be one of the least advanced components of the car, but technology also has a place in its design, and thanks to it we can enjoy more safety, comfort and information. This is a summary of all the things the windscreen can do in a modern car that you may not have known.

• Protects the driver and the rest of the car’s occupants from wind and objects that could strike them.
• Reinforces the vehicle’s structural strength.
• Supports and reinforces the passenger airbag, preventing the occupant from being thrown out.
• It is the window onto the road or street we travel along.
• They support the driver assistance sensors.
• They provide acoustic insulation, thanks to new technologies.
• Filter ultraviolet and infrared rays, improving safety while driving and reducing the effect of the sun.
• They are used as a Head-Up Display, projecting trip information onto them.
• They use defrosting systems to prevent ice on the coldest days.
• They provide protection in armoured vehicles