The AGC HeatControl windshield has an invisible silver coating on the glass. This coating is specially designed to be transparent for visible light but to reflect infrared sunlight. In sunny weather, it can reduce interior temperature by up to 15°C, improving driver comfort and reducing the need for energy-hungry air conditioning.
In winter, AGC makes use of the electrical conductivity of the silver layer. By applying a voltage of 12V (48V on future cars) it acts as an invisible heating element, to demist and defrost whenever required, at the touch of a button. It can even boost defrosting in the windshield-wiper parking position, preventing the wipers from freezing solid to the glass.
The future also looks bright for this silver layer. Not only can the windshield be combined with advanced HUD (Heads-Up Display) systems, it is also radio-wave transparent, making it ideal for automatic road toll systems and broadcast antennas.