A broken or cracked windshield can be an issue in any car, but modern vehicles using new technology to make driving safer present another problem. Many of the sensors for collision avoidance, rain detection, and adaptive cruise control features are part of the windshield, so any windshield replacement shop working on your vehicle needs to know how to work with these systems. 

Damaged Glass

If the windshield in your car or truck is damaged, the first concern people have is being able to see through the glass. Taking the vehicle to an auto glass shop for a windshield replacement or having a mobile service come and do the work is essential. 

The replacement is routine for many shops or services unless the car has some modern technological features for added safety, like a collision avoidance system. The windshield often holds the sensors for these systems, so if you replace the glass with a windshield that does not have the sensors, you could have some serious problems. 

The car may not operate correctly, if it starts and drives at all, without the correct sensors. And if the new glass has the sensors in it, but they are not connected and reset to work with the system in the vehicle, the collision avoidance or other feature may not work correctly.

Replacement Glass

When you need a windshield replacement for your vehicle with additional safety features, it is essential to let the auto glass replacement service know. It is common for a vehicle manufacturer to build one car model that adds collision avoidance, rain sensors, or adaptive cruise control to some models, and not use it in others. 

As a result, windshield manufacturers must make replacement glass with and without sensors. If the windshield replacement service is not aware you have the features in the vehicle, they may order the wrong glass for the job, causing a delay in the repair when they discover the issue and have to reorder the correct glass. 

Replacement Cost

Windshield replacement services traditionally were not overly expensive. The cost was often lower than the glass break deductible many people had with their insurance policies. With the addition of these sensors and the equipment and training required to work with them, replacement costs have increased, and insurance coverage is necessary if you need a new windshield. 

The time it takes to replace the glass is much longer as well. What used to take a few hours may take most of the day now, so be sure to discuss this with the windshield replacement service before scheduling your appointment. Cars and trucks with multiple sensors can be more challenging to work on because all these pieces need to function in unison in the vehicle. 

For more information about windshield replacement, contact a local company.