According to an article in the

Detroit News, plastic windows are

been considered by automakers for

some vehicles. The high-strength

and lightweight polycarbonate

window has been already introduced

into the automotive industry and

will be appreciated in the 2014

FIAT S.p.A. 500L.

As a benefit, the plastic window

combined with compression

moldings can reduce the overall

number of parts currently needed to

join a window to a vehicle. Next is

the opportunity of shedding up to 50

lbs. of the car’s overall weight. This

added bonus has every car manufacturer sitting at the edge of their chairs!

Even though “every once counts” as Dick Schultz, managing director at Ducker Worldwide's

Automotive Materials Practice said, the shift to lightweight windows is not going to happen

overnight.

As an example, Ford Motor Co. is conducting a 10,000-hour environmental durability testing

cycle on the windows. If the results are positive, this automaker may consider the use of

polycarbonate windows in the future in specific models.

95 percent of all vehicles today have headlight covers made of polycarbonate plastic, said V.

Umamaheswaran, the global marketing director for the automotive unit of SABIC's Innovative

Plastics business.

"The technology is now at a point where it is ready for mass-scale production. It's not just

weight savings; it's hugely the styling implications and aerodynamics." Umamaheswaran said

For now, the polycarbonate glazing, if implemented, will be used for the rear window and/or

fixed windows in the rear of a car. Due to existing Federal Safety Regulations, these

polycarbonate glazing will not be used for windshields or door windows.

The panoramic sunroof is also an alternative for the use of this lightweight window. Some

automakers are implementing it in new models.

Just like every trial and error test, the polycarbonate windows do have a downside. One of the

concerns is the flexibility and resistance these windows have of not cracking or shattering like

glass in case of an accident. This factor could increase the potential difficulties of extracting

accident victims.

The polycarbonate windows will also need to:

Meet scratch-resistance requirements

Must be able to withstand defrosters in cold weather

Must have special ultraviolet protection to prevent yellow and cloudy hazing over time

Lower the production cost – right now these can cost nearly twice as much to produce as

regular glass windows

We’ll just have to wait until the test results come back and the authorities have considered every

possible scenario and compare the pros and cons of polycarbonate windows before these go into

mass production and become a standard for the future vehicles.