There is a new use for Corning’s Gorilla glass by Ford Motor Company in the new GT model for the 2016-17 model years.

When I say Gorilla Glass windshields, what is the first thing you think of? Unbreakable glass? Loss of business? Reduced revenue? Well, rest assured that these windshields will not put you out of business. On the contrary, it may make you more money the more it is used on everyday vehicles due to its initial increased cost.

If you read the article carefully or look at the video, it says, “The hybrid windshield consists of three layers. The Gorilla Glass serves as the inner layer, a plastic adhesive is the interlayer and annealed soda lime glass serves as the outside layer, according to Corning.” This means that the outer layer exposed to road debris is not changed from the current type of annealed glass windshield. It will not make the breakage any less. The main purpose of the use of Gorilla glass is weight reduction with increased strength for roof support, not break resistance.

It is no surprise that Ford was the innovator for this new type of hybrid windshield. Ford is one of the early pioneers of utilizing glass for roof support in their early model Taurus and they continued the technology with other new models.

It is also no surprise that carmakers are seriously looking for ways to reduce weight to meet the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) laws put upon them from the federal government. The Gorilla Glass product fits that bill very nicely. The use of Gorilla glass can reduce the glass weight in a vehicle up to 30 percent, which is substantial.

The introduction of this type of automotive glass, to me, was inevitable. Our entire industry should be grateful to Ford, Corning and Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW) for designing a hybrid that will not hurt the aftermarket glass shop.