Car side window glass

[Matthew]

Traditionally, side windows on cars have been made of tempered glass.

I think there is a trend now towards laminated safety glass. Side airbags and other safety features seem to rely on the side windows for support, and when tempered glass breaks it can't do that.

The last couple of days there have been some news videos of cops and others breaking car windows to get kids out of cars they've been locked into in the summer heat. One happened in KC and another somewhere else. In both videos, it appeared the side windows didn't shatter like tempered glass. Possibly there was some window tint film holding it together and gave the appearance of laminated glass.

Those punches and seatbelt cutters with the little point on the end won't do any good on that kind of glass.

Is there really is a trend towards laminated side glass or is it limited to certain manufacturers or models?

https://www.saflex.com/en/AutoLaminatedSideGlass.aspx

 

[Stewartb]

Air bag inflation is momentary. By the time tempered glass falls out the bag's job would be finished, wouldn't it?

 

[Matthew]

Air bag inflation is momentary. By the time tempered glass falls out the bag's job would be finished, wouldn't it?

I would think so.

I just found this:

http://glasweld.com/automotive-laminated-side-glass-repair-faqs/

>>>
Why is this type of glass now being used on vehicles?
A federal mandate will require all cars to have ejection protection during a roll over by 2018 and laminated glass conforms to this standard. In addition, laminated side glass offers the following benefits:
<<<

It does look like it's more and more common.

 

[Stewartb]

I thought shoulder harnesses kept us inside. I guess they need to legislate safety for guys who aren't smart enough to wear safety belts. Of course that demographic doesn't represent new car buyers, but nobody expects regulations to make sense.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I thought shoulder harnesses kept us inside. I guess they need to legislate safety for guys who aren't smart enough to wear safety belts. Of course that demographic doesn't represent new car buyers, but nobody expects regulations to make sense.

Exactly.

 

[Jim_R]

Possibly there was some window tint film holding it together and gave the appearance of laminated glass.

Auto window tint is quite common and will indeed keep the window somewhat intact. (I learned this the hard way when someone broke into my car, and I found the driver's side window in almost one single slab on the ground by the door.)