The History of Windshields

Believe it or not, the first windshield was actually made out of good old-fashioned horsehair! Back in the late 1800s, cars were starting to hit the road, and drivers needed something to protect their faces from all the bugs and debris flying at them.

So, some genius inventor decided to take a bunch of horsehairs and string it up in front of the driver’s seat. And voila, the windshield was born!

But as you can imagine, horsehair windshields weren’t exactly the most effective at blocking wind and debris. So, car manufacturers began to experiment with different materials.

Some tried glass, but it was too brittle and shattered easily. Others tried various types of plastic, but they tended to scratch easily and distort the driver’s view of the road.

It wasn’t until the 1920s that a new type of glass called “safety glass” was invented. This glass was made by sandwiching a layer of plastic between two layers of glass, making it much more durable and resistant to shattering.

And thus, the modern windshield was born! Today, windshields are made of all sorts of high-tech materials, from laminated glass to polycarbonate plastics.

So next time you’re cruising down the highway, take a moment to appreciate your trusty windshield. After all, without it, you’d be covered in bugs and debris faster than you can say “horsehair.”

That’s it from us, don’t forget to contact us for all of your auto glass needs in the Texas Panhandle!