Automotive Glazing: Design Aspects, Characteristics, and Future

This report delves into the critical role of glazing in car body design, emphasizing its impact on vehicle strength, stiffness, and aesthetics. It explores the evolution of glazing, highlighting key characteristics such as enhanced visibility for drivers and passengers, crucial for safety and accident prevention. The report examines the safety and security aspects, including the use of laminated glass to mitigate hazards during impacts and support airbag performance. Furthermore, it discusses the glazing's role in temperature regulation through solar control technologies and weight reduction through the use of acoustic vinyl. The report also analyzes noise reduction strategies using acoustic glass and future developments such as Gorilla Glass, augmented reality, and polycarbonate materials, all aimed at improving functionality, safety, and fuel efficiency. The advantages of these technologies are highlighted, along with the ongoing research to enhance glazing materials and meet the evolving needs of automotive designers and end-users.

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Glazing Car body design aspects
Introduction
Glazing in the vehicle body is able to play a vital role which focuses on enhancing both
the strength and stiffness of the vehicle body. In automotive and vehicle body design, the glazing
has critical characteristics which it plays to improve better designs (Mohammad, 2011).
Automobiles are judges by different aspects and glazing is one of crucial such component used.
Glazing evolution has taken place for a long time. The glazing manufacturers look to improve
the various characteristics of the glazing systems in order to meet the user’s needs (Teicher &
Hüttentechnische, 2006). Glazing is connected with the use of glass in the vehicle design. There
are different aspects which the glazing aspect has to respond to ensure safety and aesthetics of
the design are achieved. The glazing manufacturers are in constant innovation era in order to
provide technical solutions in order to meet the automobile manufacturer’s aspects as well as end
users aspects of vehicle design. The glazing manufacturers have to consider the aspects of
comfort, safety and security ad they design the glazing systems for the automobiles.
Figure 1: Key parts which are essential to automobiles

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Characteristics of glazing systems
There are some key characteristics which the glazing systems have to meet in the
automobile body design aspects. Some of the key characteristics which are related to the glazing
factors include the better visibility for the driver and other passengers in the vehicle. Visibility in
the automobile is a crucial parameter which enhances the security and accident-free cars. The
glazing systems play the most critical parts in ensuring that the users of the autos have a wide
view of the road (Robert Bosch et al, 2014). The increased look provides that the drivers are able
to make their decisions without being limited to the view options. The increased visibility is
meant to ensure that the will react to situations and make viable choices to avoid collisions.
Excellent visibility is one of the key characteristics which enhance the safety and visual comfort
of the automobile. Some of the key issues which the glazing factor addresses regarding vision are
the reduction of bright sunlight glare, rain smears on the windscreen among others (Marur,
2013). Windshield installation nowadays is done at an angle, which plays a significant part in the
glare. This characteristic helps to enhance the viewing of the driver.
Figure 2: interaction between light and glazing system

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Another key characteristic of the glazing system of the automobiles is the safety and
security of the end user of the automobile (David & Hayes, 2015). In addition, the lamination is
done through ‘sandwiching’ plastic between the glasses. During an impact, although the glazing
may fracture, the plastic interlayer will hold the pieces and therefore able to enhance the safety
of the passengers. The plastic ensures that the hazards of the sharp glass during accidents are
reduced (Yamaguchi & Takasu, 2015). The glazing factor and especially on the windscreen is
able to absorb energy during impacts and prevent the injection of the driver and passenger.
Moreover, the laminated glass on the windows is able to enhance the performance of the
automobile airbags. The glass is able to offer the necessary support during and inflation.
Figure 3: Structural aspects of glazing in the windscreen
Another critical characteristic of the automotive glazing in the vehicle body is a better
protection from temperature changes. Solar control glazing is a key characteristic which can
enhance the temperature protection. The solar glazing has a crucial coating which is able to
reduce the transmission of the solar heat from the external environment (Aldinger, 2015). The

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glazing factors can reduce the heat by over 25% of the heat penetration of the solar radiations.
Some of the critical glazing used to enhance these characteristics includes the use of dark tinted
glazing and switchable glazing. These glazings can control the amount of solar heat entering the
automobile cabin and therefore controlling the amount of heat. The glazing systems are able to
reflect or absorb the solar radiations at any instance and therefore to control the heat inside.
Moreover, the glazing systems have been enhanced to achieve the reduction of weight in the
automobiles. The use of acoustic vinyl has been able to play a key role in the reduction of the
glazing systems. The aspects of these glazing systems have ended up shading a lot of weight for
the automotive and therefore saving on fuel consumption.
Moreover, the glazing system is used in the control of noise entering the cabin. Making
the automobile interior quieter and more comfortable is a key quest for the engineers (Palmen,
2017). The glazing systems are used to reduce the noise, vibration and harshness in the
automotive industry.
Figure 4: Noise control aspects for the acoustic glass
The increase in the thickness of the glass has been used to enhance the noise reduction.
The use of acoustic glass in the glazing systems has enhanced the effectiveness of the noise
reduction within the automotive. The frequencies of the interlayer of the acoustic glass are able
to lie between 1500 Hz and 5,000 Hz (Chen et al., 2017). Moreover, the use of the acoustic vinyl

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has been able to ensure that the designers are able to reduce the thickness of the windshield
without negative effects on the noise penetration. The acoustic glazing consists of two or more
sheets of glass, which are bonded together into one or more acoustic interlayer. These interlayers
are able to act as noise dampening core. The layers help to weaken the sound as it travels through
the glass and ensure that the noise pollution within the cabin is reduced. Moreover, the use of
acoustic glazing is related to the enhanced safety of the automotive. The noise inside is known to
reduce the driver's effectiveness over time. Nevertheless, there is a limit on the damping of the
glass. Due to this constraint, laminated glass is used, where plastic is used within the glass
(Sekurit, 2017). One of the major disadvantages of this method is that it changes the vibration
energy into heat energy. The heat energy produced is likely to increase the temperatures within
the cabin and therefore reducing the comfort of the automotive.
Advantages
Some of the key advantages achieved due to the key characteristics include. Increase in
the use of laminated glazing system is able to increase the structural strength of the glazing
system. The laminated glazing system means that the system will be able to absorb forces during
collisions and therefore enhancing the safety measures. The major achievement which is attained
in this factor is less fuel consumption for the automobiles. The reduction in the width of the
glazing systems is usually taking place each day (Sharma, 2017). This ensures that the
automobiles consume less fuel.
Future developments in glazing
Engineers and glazing manufacturers are always looking on different aspects in order to
enhance the glazing materials and uses to suit the different needs of the automotive designers and
end users aspects. In the efforts to reduce the weight in automotive, key ideas to reduce the

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glazing from the available 2.5 mm to 2.1 mm are underway (Lambauer, Fahl & Voss, 2013).
This reduction is key to ensure that the whole weight of the automobile is reduced. The reduction
will ensure that the fuel consumption by the automobile is achieved and therefore enhancing the
operational efficiency of the design.
Figure 5: Layer reduction in glazing system
In addition, in order to enhance the structural capability of the glazing system, different
materials have been used and still being researched. The role of glazing in enhancing the
securing of the automobiles cannot be ignored. The security feature has led to the use of
composite glass and other new materials in the glazing systems (Palmer, 2015). Moreover, the
research on materials to be used is to enhance the reduction of the glazing thickness (Happian-
Smith, 2001). Use of glass/plasticid layers is a new technology which is being researched to
enhance the glazing systems.
The glazing systems are looking to enhance speed, fuel and any issues which are
connected with the parts of the automobiles. Another key upcoming technology is the use of
augmented reality (AR) technology (Wypych, 2013). This technology involves the use of the
glazing systems to provide the users of the automobiles with digital information. With the Heads

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Up Display (HUD) programs already on the automobiles, the AR technology will help the driver
with live feeds on what to expect.
In addition, the uses of polycarbonates in the automotive industry and more specifically
on the glazing systems are projected to enhance weight reduction. This technology is likely to
enhance 50% weight reduction and therefore enhance reduction of fuel usage and CO2 pollution
from the fuels (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya et al., 2015). The implementation of PC on
the windshield is underway. This is seen to be a key way to enhance the weight reduction on the
glazing systems and the automobiles.
In addition, another area which is being focused a lot is on the use of Gorilla Glass on the
glazing systems. The Gorilla Glass is thin, and therefore this technology and development will
ensure that the weight reduction in automobiles is achieved. The structural aspect of the glass is
high, and this is a key factor which the glazing system will be able to achieve from the use of
technology (Mennig et al., 2010). Due to the reduced weight, low fuel consumption will be
another key advantage which will be achieved from the implementation of this technology.
Nevertheless, a key disadvantage of increased heat in the automobile cabin will be a key aspect
which will need to be resolved. Due to the low penetration of heat, the glass may help to increase
the temperatures within the cabin.
Advantages
The future developments in progress have some key advantages. The GG is
known to be tough and has high resistance to damage. The high resistance enhance the security
of the automobiles at different stages. The AR technology is also looking at enhancing the vision
within the surrounding including the landscape while monitoring the driver’s eyes and head
movements. The enhanced visions gives the driver different option on making wide decisions.

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The decline in fuel consumption is a key focus and advantage which the advanced technologies
will safety and security measures. The innovation on new materials which will ensure that the
weight of automobiles is reduced is being done.
Conclusion
In conclusion, glazing systems are able to play key roles in the automobile industry. The
different characteristics of the glazing systems are able to enhance the proper functioning of the
automotive. More importantly, some of the characteristics are able to focus on strengthening the
safety, comfort, aesthetic and security of the end users of the automobiles (Tovey, 2012).
Visibility is a key aspect and feature of the glazing systems. The systems should be able to
ensure that the automobile users are able to view wide range and enhance the safety. In addition,
another fundamental characteristic of the glazing systems is to ensure that the noise inside the
automobile cabin is minimised. Moreover, there are future plans to enhance the glazing systems
in the automobile industry. Different technologies such as Gorilla Glass are being anticipated to
be used in this industry. Other future techniques which are being looked at include the use of
polycarbonates, augmented reality (AR) technology and use of different composites in the
glazing systems. These technologies are being done to enhance the functionality of the glazing
systems.

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