Why is the windshield larger than the rearview mirror?
2 Answers
The windshield is larger than the rearview mirror because the road ahead is more important than the past. Below are specific details about automotive windshields: Laminated Glass: This refers to a type of transparent adhesive plastic film sandwiched between two or three layers of glass, combining the toughness of plastic with the hardness of glass to enhance the glass's resistance to breakage. Tempered Glass: This involves quenching ordinary glass to create internal stresses, thereby strengthening the glass. When impacted and shattered, the glass breaks into small pieces with blunt edges, reducing the risk of injury to passengers. Zone-Tempered Glass: Specially treated to maintain a certain level of clarity when cracked upon impact, ensuring the driver's field of vision remains unobstructed.
After driving for so many years, the large windshield is mainly for seeing the wide road ahead, pedestrians, and traffic conditions clearly. A broad field of view while driving is essential for safety. The rearview mirror, on the other hand, is more practical when smaller—it only needs to display key points of vehicles behind and blind spots. If it were too large, it might obstruct the view or waste space. In terms of safety, a larger windshield works better with wipers and defogging systems to ensure clear visibility, while rearview mirrors can be adjusted or folded, eliminating the need for excessive size. From a design perspective, a large windshield also helps distribute impact forces, offering better passenger protection during collisions. Overall, this size difference is carefully engineered to help drivers focus on the road ahead, ensuring both safety and efficiency. I rely heavily on this setup during daily highway driving, and once you get used to it, it feels incredibly logical.
