What materials are generally used for car windshields?

[VanRebecca]

Currently, car windshields mainly use laminated glass and laminated zone-tempered glass. Automotive glass is divided into two major categories: laminated glass and tempered glass: 1. Laminated glass is a processed type of glass formed by bonding two or more layers of glass together. It is generally divided into flat laminated glass and curved laminated glass. Currently, curved laminated glass is widely used in automobiles, while a small portion of car window glass is flat laminated glass. 2. Tempered glass is a glass product made by heating the glass to near its softening temperature and then rapidly cooling it through quenching. Since the surface compressive stress and internal tensile stress of tempered glass are consistent or basically balanced, tempered glass has strong impact resistance and good thermal stability. Tempered glass is generally divided into fully tempered glass and zone-tempered glass. The former is suitable for car side windows, rear windshields, and buildings, while the latter is suitable for the front windshields of ordinary cars, buses, vans, and trucks. It has high strength but shatters into fragments when broken.

[LucasAnn]

I've been driving this new car for almost a year now. The windshield is made of laminated safety glass, which is far from ordinary glass. It has a layer of PVB plastic film sandwiched in between, so even if it shatters upon impact, the fragments won't scatter everywhere, making it exceptionally safe. I remember when my friend got into an accident last time, his windshield remained intact and actually saved him. Nowadays, most cars on the market use this material because it's highly durable and blocks UV rays. However, you should avoid scrubbing it with hard objects. When washing the car, just use a soft cloth with some dedicated glass cleaner – never use kitchen cleaners to prevent corrosion at the edges. I find this design really thoughtful, especially since it reduces wind noise at high speeds, making long drives much less tiring.

[VonJack]

As a professional who has been repairing cars for over a decade, I often get asked about windshield materials. It's actually laminated safety glass, with a PVB film sandwiched between two layers of glass. This structure prevents shattering and resists impacts, making it crucial for survival in accidents—like preventing glass shards from injuring people during frontal collisions. Why not use plastic or regular glass? Plastic is lightweight but scratches easily, while regular glass is fragile and unsafe. The manufacturing process even involves high-temperature pressing tests. I recommend car owners regularly check the edges of their windshields for cracks and repair small holes promptly to prevent water damage to the film. Daily maintenance is simple: just wash and wipe the glass, and don’t let bird droppings or bug residue dry on it for too long.

[Nolan]

When I was into car modifications, I studied windshields, which are mostly made of laminated glass. It consists of two layers of tempered glass with a PVB film sandwiched in between, offering high safety standards—even when shattered, the pieces stick together to protect occupants. Compared to the single-layer glass used in older cars, this modern design has been widespread since the 1960s. Not only is it shatterproof, but it also reduces noise and glare, making nighttime driving much more stable. Personally, I appreciate the material's durability, as it doesn’t yellow even after years of exposure to wind and sun. For cleaning, a simple wipe with a damp cloth is sufficient—avoid strong acidic cleaners to prevent damage. Overall, choosing this type of windshield is a thoughtful safety measure for us drivers.