Laminated and Advanced Solar Control Glass Prominent at 2012 North American International Auto Show

DETROIT, Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Numerous vehicles on display at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) tout available laminated glass and/or advanced solar control glass in applications beyond the windshield, reports the Enhanced Protective Glass Automotive Association (EPGAA). Those window positions include driver and passenger side windows, rear windows and roof glass.

New adoptions of laminated glass demonstrate the value that automakers continue to place on the benefits of the product. Since the year 2000, when the technology began to appear on luxury vehicles at NAIAS, laminated glass has been adopted on many additional platforms, providing affordable quality while improving safety, minimizing exposure to cancer-causing UV rays, and even improving fuel efficiency/EV range through reduced A/C need in models which also include Advanced Solar Control. 

Vehicles on display included:

Additional manufacturers offer laminated glass on a variety of models. For a complete list, visit the EPGAA Web site, www.epgaa.com.

"We are pleased to see so many models with laminated glass at the North American International Auto Show - nearly 30% more than only 3 years ago," said Pete Dishart, Director, New Product Development and Emerging Technologies for Pittsburgh Glass Works and EPGAA President. "The automotive industry's continued resurgence requires more than just the awe-inspiring designs which are certainly abundant here.  It is important for car manufacturers to provide quality, security, comfort, fuel economy, and safety. Laminated glass, and the Advanced Solar heat reduction technologies it offers, can impact each of these areas in very meaningful ways. It is gratifying to see that laminated glass is increasingly being adopted in new vehicles."

Laminated glass- automotive safety glass designed for greater comfort and security- is a high-impact resistant glass technology consisting of two or more panes of glass bonded together by a plastic interlayer or film that automakers and car buyers have trusted for use in windshields for more than 70 years. Laminated glass offers a variety of benefits, including reduced noise, weight savings of 12 percent over conventional tempered glass vehicle windows, enhanced security, safety, and protection from cancer-causing UV- even infrared -solar rays. This application also meets all regulatory and industry standards for performance of glazing materials.

About the EPGAA

The Enhanced Protective Glass Automotive Association (EPGAA) is composed of laminate and glass providers to provide information and overall education on the development of laminated glass for added vehicle security, occupant comfort, efficiency, and safety. For more information on the EPGAA, visit www.epgaa.com.

SOURCE EPGAA