Safety & Security

The automobile industry is making increasing use of laminated glass, which is a "sandwich" of two glass sheets with a thin but tough plastic layer in between. The layers are bonded to each other under controlled heat and pressure. If the glass suffers an impact, the glass layers may fragment but, depending on the force of the impact, the plastic interlayer will hold.

This is a safety advantage for the driver and passengers in case of an accident, keeping them inside the vehicle and absorbing some of the energy of impact. Moreover, after an impact the resulting glass fragments tend to remain attached to the plastic interlayer, reducing the hazards of sharp projectiles during an accident. And the fact that windows made of laminated glass will tend to remain in their frame greatly improves the performance of the side airbags, providing the necessary support during inflation.

Laminated glass also offers a considerable security advantage, making it much more difficult to break into the car (on average, it takes 10 times as long to penetrate a car window made of laminated glass than one made of toughened glass).

A different kind of passenger-safety factor is provided by UV (ultraviolet) filter glass, which blocks harmful UV rays to protect skin and eyes (as well as the materials of the car's interior). UV filter glass blocks 95% of harmful UV rays from entering the vehicle, keeping the driver and passengers safe and greatly extending the life of upholstery and fabrics.

UV filter technology can be incorporated into laminated glass for optimal safety and security.