A windshield, for decades, had one job: shield drivers from the elements. Repairs often meant replacing glass much like a broken window pane in your house. But, the times have changed in big ways. Sensors, cameras and calibration can multiple the cost and difficulties of a replacement.
First is the integration of cameras or other sensors in the windshield, looking out at the road with you. “They’re becoming really common on a wide range of vehicles,” says Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, the trade group for collision repair technicians. “What were once really simple operations now require complex diagnostic and calibration work.”
In some cases carmakers advise against reusing a windshield any time it’s been removed. And this is spreading to other parts of the car: Ford recently advised that bumper covers on its cars that have advanced driver-assistance systems be replaced any time they need more than a paint job.
Read the article at CNET.
