The transformation of the windshield has always been an intriguing topic in the North York Auto Glass area. Since the 1900s, windshields have drastically changed to better suite the needs of all motor vehicle operators. Follow us on our journey as we explore the evolution of auto glass…
1930
In this year, Ford introduced the Ford Model A vehicle. This was the very first vehicle to have laminated glass in the windshield. Libbey Owens Ford produced flat glass for both building products and automotive industries. In 1928, Owens was the first company to successfully produce laminated safety glass for automobiles. As a result, he won a contest to sign with the well-known Ford Motor Company. Safety glass continues to benefit many of the automobile drivers today as it is very durable and does not shatter upon impact.
1934
The Chevrolet Imperial Airflow CW was introduced, and was the first vehicle to use curved glass. Unlike the tradition flat panel of glass, the Chevrolet’s windshields were made up of two sheets of glass in which formed a “vee” on the top, bottom and both sides.
1948
Preston Tucker debuted the Tucker 48 automobile in Chicago. Interesting enough, only 51 cars were created before the company shut down in 1949 due to a number of complaints that were initiated by the media. This automobile used the pop-out windshield that was made out of shatter proof glass. The windshield popped out so that passengers were protected during collisions.
1951
One of the most popular cars were introduced; the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette. This beautiful creation was the first mass-produced vehicle that used the panoramic wrap around windshield. For much of the 1950s, this windshield was extremely popular. However, as time passed, many people found that these windshields had a high number of practical difficulties. Of these difficulties, distortion was one of the main issues. Due to a high number of complaints, car manufactures ceased the existence of the panoramic wrap around windshield. There were a number of cars created after this Corvette that also had the panoramic windshield; the 1935 Panhard Panoramique, the 1951 Buick XP-300, the 1965 Buick Roadmaster, the 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta, the 1955 De Soto Fireflite, the 1961 Buick, and the list goes on.
1960
As many North York Auto Glass industry professionals know, tempered glass was introduced in the automotive industry and was used for the rear and side windows. Tempered glass is 4-10x stronger than regular class and shatters into dull pieces that are less harmful to the human touch. Tempered is still used on cars today, and will most likely continue to be used in the future. Tempered glass is highly favoured due to the fact that it reduces the risk of injury by breaking up into petite circular pieces that are not sharp – as regular glass is. The 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 was one of the first vehicles to have tempered glass installed in the back and rear windows.
1966
The famous 1966 Chevy El Camino was introduced. This car housed laminated glass that was used on the front windshield. This glass holds together even when it is shattered. Laminated glass continues to protect many North York residents today as it is composed of many layers to enhance its strength. The benefits of laminated glass are endless.
1970
During this time, there was a major structural shift in the auto glass industry. Car manufactures began to think about creation of environmentally friendly vehicles. As a result, the structure of the auto glass had to change. Car manufactures invented more fuel efficient cars that were not as weighty as the cars before. The 1970 Dodge challenger was a perfect example.
1980
In this year, many automotive manufactures decided to add a second layer of polycarbonate to the windshield. This ultimately improved the overall safety of the windshield as it caused it to be much stronger. Due to the fact that it had ability to withstand a high amount of force, car manufactures thought this would be a great idea. Unfortunately, they were sadly mistaken. This invention was put to an end for the simple fact that it was way too difficult clean. 1985 Chevrolet Camaro vehicle owners had to vigorously scrub their windows just to remove the smallest marks.
1990
As many North York Auto Glass neighbourhood residents may not know, this is the very same year Porsche became of the first European automotive manufactures to utilize thermal glass in its windshields.
2014
Nissan introduced the floating glass roof concept on their Resonance model. This features automotive glass not only on the windshield, and side windows, but on the roof as well. The new 2016 Lexus RX teaser also features the floating glass roof.
The Future of Auto Glass
Considering the points above, it is obvious auto glass will continue to transform at a rapid rate. Many industry professionals ponder the future of auto glass as this can have a serious effect on their business. The experts at Auto Glass Changers are not worried about any negative effects this could cause as they are prepared and continue to think ahead. Many auto glass professionals believe laminated glass will not only be used for the windshields, but for the rear and side view windows too. Manufactures like GM and BMW, have already installed laminated glass in places other than the windshield. In GM models, laminated glass is installed in the back window. This prevents the chances of passengers flying out of the back window during a serious accident. BMW has installed laminated glass in their side view windows for the purpose of preventing theft. As many of us may know, laminated glass is not easy to break. And As a result, it could be very hard to exit the car in case of an emergency. Luckily, many manufactures have already thought about this idea, and so, they created ceilo roofs. These roofs extend the windshield of the car beyond the driver’s head. This concept transforms the roof into once piece of laminated glass. As stated above, this is also known as the floating glass roof.
In Conclusion
Auto Glass Changers industry experts are well versed in the aspects of Auto Glass and its evolution. It is imperative for you to trust the professionals at Auto Glass Changers and approach them with any questions you may have. Professionals in the auto glass industry are always looking for new ways to create more durable, safe, adaptable and protective auto glass. The invention of laminated and tempered glass was a great start to the auto glass journey, and the professionals will continue on with even bigger and better ideas. As they begin to brainstorm for the sake of your safety, be sure to do your part and avoid all instances that could lead to serious injury. You must constantly take care of your auto glass. It will indeed continue to get stronger, but that does not mean you are invisible. No matter how strong auto glass is, you can still get hurt. Residents in the North York area are encouraged by auto glass professionals to stay safe on the roads. As the evolution of auto glass continues, we hope to see a better, safer Toronto.
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