You’ve more than likely heard of Gorilla Glass before because it’s the super strong glass used on smartphones. The company who produces the glass, Corning, has teamed up with Ford to create the first Gorilla Glass hybrid windshield, coming first on the new Ford GT.
Announced in a December 15 press release, this new windshield saves 12 lbs thanks to its light properties. A typical windshield consists of two layers of glass, with a “thermoplastic interlayer binding agent” in between, per Ford’s press release. This new glass technology uses ” a pane of toughened automotive-grade formed hybrid” as an inner layer, instead of the binding agent. The result? A windshield that’s 32% lighter and 25-50% thinner, with greater strength than traditional laminate.
“During development, we tried different glass variations before we found a combination that provided both weight savings and the durability needed for exterior automotive glass,” said Paul Linden, Ford body exteriors engineer, in the press release. “We learned, somewhat counterintuitively, that the strengthened interior layer of the windshield is key to the success of the hybrid window.”
If you’re unsure of just how strong this new windshield is, check out the video below. It shows a massive chunk of hail being fired at traditional windshield glass and then at the new Gorilla Glass hybrid. I won’t spoil it, but this new glass is the real deal.
[youtube id=”68QnLr6LevU” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no” maxwidth=”680″]
In addition to the windshield, the new GT will also be using a new and unique glass for the bulkhead panel found separating the passenger cell and engine bay.
Hopefully, this new glass technology is a hit and makes its way to more cars in the future.
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(Source: Ford Motor Company)