Jan. 3, 2020— The year ahead figures to be one of the most disruptive on record throughout much of the auto industry, with issues like emissions and autonomous technology coming to the forefront.
On that note, Joe Harary, the CEO of Research Frontiers (a smart glass provider for the likes of Mercedes and McLaren) recently shared what he feels could lie ahead for both the automotive industry and auto glass in particular in 2020.
Here were some of Harary's main thoughts:
Autonomous vehicles could disrupt on-board experiences.
With autonomous technology becoming more prevalent in vehicles, vehicle occupants should have more time on their hands while on roadways. Taking that into consideration, OEMs are thinking long and hard about what the occupant experience will be like moving forward, Harary noted.
"Expect glass to be a much bigger focal point in the year ahead, as OEMs begin to develop greater know-how around how to build next-generation 'AV first' passenger experiences," he said. "For example, by installing smartglass technology in the place of traditional windows, OEMs can transform vehicle interiors into entertainment hubs, enhance or block the connection between occupants and the outside environment, or utilize windows for new forms of external signage."
The push for sustainability should continue.
With new environmental regulations on the horizon, delivering sustainable vehicles is imperative for OEMs, Harary says.
"In 2020, expect not only additional R&D in the much-hyped 'green' areas -- such as battery capacity and faster charging speeds -- but also in discovering greener automotive building materials, as well. For example, by adopting smartglass technology, OEMs can boost EV driving range by over 5 percent and cut CO2 emissions ... which can potentially be the difference between OEMs having to pay heavy fines or not."
