Laminated glass consists of two or more glass sheets bonded together with a plastic interlayer, often PVB. This interlayer holds the glass layers together when broken and prevents large shards from detaching upon breakage. In contrast, tempered, or toughened glass is a single sheet of glass that has been heat-treated to increase strength; when it fails, it breaks into many small granular pieces rather than sharp shards. From a performance view, laminated glass excels in occupant retention, noise, and UV comfort; tempered glass provides strong impact resistance and safer fragmentation. We at AIS select the type based on where the glass is placed in the vehicle.

Car windscreens carry unique safety responsibilities: they protect occupants from road debris, help maintain vehicle structure in a crash, and should continue to allow visibility after minor damage. At AIS, we use LamiSafe-LT laminated glass for front windshields of cars, as the plastic interlayer ensures that, even on impact, the pane remains largely intact, holds its shape, prevents shards, and maintains clarity. Moreover, laminated windshields helps reduce outside noise, block harmful UV rays, and contribute to the vehicle's structural rigidity, all of which are key priorities in our design. Choosing laminated car glass for windshields is a conscious safety measure reflected in our product range.

In typical passenger vehicles, like car, side windows and rear windows are made from tempered (toughened) glass rather than laminated glass. At AIS, our Temperlite-LT series covers these sidelites and backlites. The reason is that if side or rear windows break, say in an accident or intrusion, tempered glass shatters safely into small, blunt pieces rather than long, sharp shards, enhancing occupant safety and ease of escape. Laminated glass can be used for side glazing in some vehicles, but for conventional side windows, the tempered solution is the standard we design for.

You can identify the type of glass by looking for small etched or printed markings in the corner of the glass, often the manufacturer's brand, the specification, and "Laminated" or "Tempered". For our AIS laminated windshields, you should find the word "LAMINATED" or a reference to the interlayer. Also, you can inspect the edge of the pane: in laminated glass, you may see two glass layers with a thin interlayer between, while in tempered glass, you won't. The optical reflection test may show double reflections in laminated glass due to the layers. At AIS, every glass pane is marked as per OEM and regulatory requirements, so that vehicle makers and repairers can reliably verify the glass type.