Smart Windscreen Developed at Salgglas in Salgótarján

A consortium led by Salgglas Plc. of Salgótarján, NE of Budapest, has developed a smart windscreen, the project with a total cost of nearly HUF 1.5 billion was supported by the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Program (GINOP), the company told the Hungarian state news agency MTI.

As they wrote, the pioneering solution allows the windscreen of a vehicle to function as a display, so that content can be displayed on its entire surface. Two types of prototypes have been created: one is an easily transportable simulator, the other is a windscreen built into a real working Jeep Wrangler.

Salgglas Plc., the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and TravelSoft Online Ltd.. have won HUF 977.9 million in EU funding under the GINOP "R&D Competitiveness and Excellence Cooperation" call for the HUF 1.417 billion development.

The two pieces of hardware were presented at the Salgglas stand at the Automotive Hungary Expo 2021, where they were tested for three days. 

According to the company, the prototypes also contain a number of software innovations. These include a new type of gesture control, various light masking options (neutralization of glare) and, for example, the appearance of mixed reality, which supplements the reality seen with the naked eye in poor visibility conditions. “With the system, no hazard remains invisible to the driver," they added.

Salgglas Plc. operates in Salgótarján with more than 120 years of glass manufacturing experience and tradition. According to public company data, the company, which employs 371 people, had a turnover of HUF 17.761 billion in 2021 (HUF 18.69 billion in 2020), of which export turnover was HUF 9.243 billion. The company closed the 2021 financial year with a loss of HUF 471 million. Salgglas manufactures windscreens for Audi, BMW, Mercedes, among others.