Demand for Automotive Glass to Decline Due to Decrease in Sales of Automobiles during Covid-19 Pandemic

 

Automotive glass contains windows, windscreens, and rear and side windows of a car. The windshield is the most vulnerable part of a car. Windscreens is made up of the windshield, windscreen, and bumper protection. All the windows in a car are considered to be part of auto glass. Side windows are either raised or lowered and regulated with a switch or lever or by using a hand-turn crank.

The demand for automotive glass is expected to decline in the countries such as the U.S., U.K, and Germany, due to decrease in sales of automobiles during the Covid-19 pandemic. For instance, Yamaha Motor Co. has projected that the company’s motorcycle sales will drop 4.7% to 60,000 units in North America in 2020. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, motorcycle sales dropped 6.3% to 63,000 units year over year.

Automotive glass such as windshields are made up of many different materials, including high quality safety glass called shatterproof glass that can withstand impacts and still provide protection to passengers and drivers. However, some vehicles also contain laminated windshields that consist of multiple layers of thin sheets of plastic film fused together to provide strength and impact protection as well as providing privacy from prying eyes. Some vehicles also contain fog and rain deflectors, which are made to reduce the chances of a crash occurring when it rains or snows.

The U.S. is witnessing changes in legislation of auto glass replacement. In January 2021, Maryland House Bill 519 introduced in the Maryland House of Delegates to “adopt regulations establishing standards and requirements for aftermarket safety glass replacement that meet or exceed the standards and requirements under the Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standard established by the Auto Glass Safety Council.”

Automotive glass repairs and replacement need to be carried out by trained professionals, so make sure you find a qualified and competent technician who can do the job properly. A damaged or broken windshield may not only cause stress and headaches but can also compromise the driver's and passenger's safety by reducing visibility and creating the risk of flying debris to hit the windshield. This makes it absolutely crucial that you get auto glass repair and replacement done right the first time. There are lots of things to consider when it comes to auto glass repair. You have to think about the safety and reliability aspects as well as how the new windshield will look on the car.