Auto Glass Glossary

There are many new features in today's windshields. Below is a glossary of terms that can be useful in understanding some of these features.

Acoustic Interlayer

Glass having a thicker than normal vinyl laminate for noise reduction.

AGRSS

Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standards. Safety standards widely accepted by the auto glass industry. Visit the AGRSS website.

Anti-theft

Vehicle glass that is made of laminated glass and tempered glass sandwiched together to help prevent smash & grab theft.

Butyl

An adhesive/sealant that was the primary material used to bond car windshields in the 60's and 70's. It achieves lap shear strengths of only about 13 psi.

Diversity Antenna

Combines the reception from two or more antennas on the vehicle. They work together to archive superior radio reception. They usually appear as a thin brown or orange line inside the glass.

Dot Matrix Shade

The traditional gradient shade band in the laminate is replaced by a dot matrix frit across the top of the windshield. These little black dots are painted onto one of the glass surfaces.

Electrochromic Mirror

Also known as an auto-dim mirror. A rear view mirror that senses light and automatically dims.

Encapsulated

A glass part that has a molding attached. Sometimes at the top only, or around three or four sides of the glass.

FMVSS

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards: ie FMVSS #212 the barrier crash test, and #216 the roof crush resistance test. Visit the FMVSS website

Frit

The black painted border around the perimeter of the auto glass. This painted area serves two purposes. First, is aesthetics, it just looks better. Second, it blocks the sun's rays from deteriorating the adhesive that structurally bonds the auto glass to the vehicle.

Heated Wiper Park Area

A windshield contains heater grids across the lower part of the glass where the wipers rest. Usually visible as a brown or grey lines running horizontally at the base of the windshield.

High Modulus Adhesives

High modulus is a rigidity requirement of cured adhesive. It measures the ability of the adhesive to withstand a variety of stresses and still return to its original form. High modulus adhesives are stiffer than normal adhesives.

HUD

Heads up display. Some of your vehicle's key instrumentation is flashed up onto the bottom of the windshield. This allows a driver to check speed, etc. without having to take their eyes off the road.

Dot Matrix Shade

The traditional gradient shade band in the laminate is replaced by a dot matrix frit across the top of the windshield. These little black dots are painted onto one of the glass surfaces.

Infrared

A term used in the auto glass industry to describe solar coated glass.

Laminated Auto Glass

A sandwich of two pieces of glass with a PVB layer between them. All front windshields are made of laminated glass. Properly installed windshields cushion an occupant's head during impact, act as a backboard for the airbags, and provide structural roof support in an accident.

Light Sensor

A sensor usually located on the windshield that senses the absence of light and turns the headlights on.

Night Vision

An infrared camera mounted on the vehicle which detects objects further ahead than the headlights reach, and displays the images on a section of the windshield.

Nonconductive Adhesives

Standard auto glass adhesives are inherently conductive due to the presence of carbon. Nonconductive adhesives are low in carbon and change high frequency antenna impedance. Sensitive electronic signals in some luxury cars require specialized nonconductive adhesives to maintain optimal operating levels.

O.E.M.

Original Equipment Manufacturer. Learn more about OEM auto glass.

PVB

Polyvinyl Butyral. The vinyl layer between two pieces of glass that make up the front windshield.

Rain Sensor

A sensor usually located near the windshield's rear view mirror that senses rain and activates the windshield wipers.

Safe Drive Away Time

The elapsed time after a front windshield installation that a vehicle would safely pass all the appropriate rollover and roof crush requirements. One hour minimum.

Solar Absorbing Auto Glass

Auto glass that blocks out harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays thereby reducing the sun's damage and keeping the inside of the vehicle cooler.

Solar Coated Auto Glass

During the manufacturing process, the inner layer of non-solar glass is coated with UV reflective film before being attached to the PVB and second layer of glass to form the windshield.