Window of opportunity

New advances in scratch-resistant coatings are making polycarbonate glazing a viable substitute for automotive glass.

On any given vehicle program, body engineers can opt for a variety of materials. All of them, except one, can be used almost interchangeably, depending on the cost target and performance characteristics needed. That one exception is glass, There simply is no substitute.

The scratch resistance of glass is the characteristic that puts it out of reach for virtually any plastic competitor Even lower abrasion applications like side windows have to meet FMVSS 205, the U.S. federal safety regulation which basically requires glass-like scratch resistance. If the …