Corning's Gorilla Glass sees its opening

Glassmaker Corning Inc. knows automakers are conservative about change when it comes to car windows.

But Corning is beginning to make headway in marketing its lighter-weight Gorilla Glass to manufacturers.

Corning claims the new-technology glass is stronger and lighter than more commonly used automotive glass. The company has been developing the technology for years to use in various vehicle applications, including thinner windshields, but the glass is mainly known for its use on smartphones, smartwatches and touch screens.

So far, it has made it onto four production vehicles, and Doug Harshbarger, Corning's business director for emerging automotive innovations, says several other automakers have expressed interest. The four early adopters include the BMW i8, which uses it in interior applications, and the most recent Ford GT sports car, which boasts a Gorilla Glass windshield.

Harshbarger says automakers and suppliers are understandably cautious about adopting the thinner glass. But Corning is seeing more automaker interest as they cope with higher fuel economy standards and other regulations to make their vehicles lighter, he said.

"Automakers are conservative in implementing new technologies," Harshbarger said. "So they try them out in lowest volumes first, which is why companies like BMW start with an interior window."

He said the lighter glass also has a benefit in body engineering because it helps automakers reduce the weight above the vehicle's beltline.

"There is no compromise here," Harshbarger said. "You're getting both weight reduction and better performance, which is rare."

Corning also has drawn automaker attention by partnering with the large French glass products supplier Saint-Gobain.

In the past, Corning would produce Gorilla Glass and send it to suppliers to fashion into vehicle windshields and other products. But this year, Corning announced a plan to produce windshields itself, through the Saint-Gobain partnership. The move is intended to expedite the process of getting the products into vehicles.