Solutia Introduces High Security Interlayer for Automotive Use
24 October 2000
Solutia Introduces High Security Interlayer for Automotive Use
DUSSELDORF, Germany, Oct. 24 Solutia Inc.
today announced the commercial introduction of the latest development in
security glazing for automotive applications. Solutia's newest development is
a High Security Interlayer that makes it even more difficult for anyone to
break into a vehicle -- up to two minutes worth of intrusion resistance.
This new High Security Interlayer is an addition to Solutia's offerings
for Enhanced Protective Glass (EPG), a new category of laminated glass
developed specifically for use in the side and rear windows of vehicles.
Currently, EPG is available on a number of vehicles produced in Europe, North
America and Japan. This EPG made with PVB, offers a number of important
benefits to consumers and automakers, including protection from irritating
outside noise, damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays, interior heat buildup, and
occupant ejection. It also offers approximately 30 seconds of intrusion
resistance, which in many situations and for many consumers is adequate
protection. However, many automakers and other consumers are demanding even
more protection.
In response to requests for a higher level of intrusion resistance,
Solutia created this new High Security interlayer product which provides up to
six times the intrusion resistance of standard EPG while providing all its
other important benefits.
As vehicle related thefts seemingly reach epidemic proportions globally,
it is no wonder that protecting a vehicle and its occupants is a growing
priority and challenge for automakers, consumers and governments.
For example, in the United Kingdom there are an estimated 3.5 million
vehicle thefts a year of which almost 2.2 million are thefts from cars.
According to the U.K. Home Secretary, Jack Straw, "Vehicle crime accounts for
a quarter of all recorded crime (in the U.K and) costs over 3 billion pounds
sterling a year."
Additionally, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in
the United States alone more than 1.5 million vehicles are stolen each year
and 1.8 million are broken into and the contents stolen. In France, in 1999
vehicle-related thefts accounted for more than 47 percent of all recorded
thefts. Over 660,000 of these were "smash and grab" type thefts. And in
Germany in 1999, reports show there were almost a half million "smash and
grab" thefts and 90,000 vehicles stolen.
Furthermore, police documentation shows that almost 50 percent of thefts
and break-ins occur through a vehicle's side windows. With conventional glass
in the side windows, it takes only two or three seconds to break into a
vehicle and grab the possessions or unlock the car door. While standard EPG
increases that time by an order of magnitude, Solutia's new High Security
Interlayer product increases by a factor of up to 60 the time it takes to
break into a vehicle versus conventional glass side windows. With millions of
thefts from cars every year that typically take two seconds each, a glazing
which increases to up to two minutes the time needed to break a side or rear
window should clearly be a benefit to consumers by helping prevent "smash and
grab" burglaries.
In a recent demonstration, three side doors from a current model car were
fitted with windows made with conventional tempered glass, standard EPG made
with Saflex PVB and the new High Security Interlayer product from Solutia.
While the standard EPG window took ten times longer than the two seconds it
took to break through a tempered glass window, the window made with the High
Security Interlayer product from Solutia increased that time by another order
of magnitude - to over two minutes.
Additional information about EPG or Solutia's new High Security Interlayer
can be found by visiting http://www.saflex-autoglass.com.
Solutia ( http://www.solutia.com ) uses world-class skills in applied chemistry
to create solutions for customers, whose products are used by consumers every
day. The company is a world leader in performance films for laminated safety
glass and aftermarket applications; resins and additives for high-value
coatings; specialties such as aviation hydraulic fluid and environmentally
friendly cleaning solvents for aviation; an integrated family of nylon
products including high-performance polymers and fibers; and process
development and scale-up services for pharmaceutical fine chemicals.
NOTE: Saflex is a registered trademark of Solutia Inc.
EPG (laminated glass) not only represents an advance in vehicle security
but also an advance in passenger comfort offering three comfort benefits:
* EPG significantly reduces road noise. Tests have shown that in two
similarly equipped vehicles - one with EPG, one with tempered
glass - while driving at 65 miles per hour, side by side with an
18-wheeler, road noise was reduced four to six decibels in the vehicle
with EPG (laminated glass), as compared to the vehicle with tempered
glass. This reduction was over a broad frequency range of 2,000 to
8,000 kilohertz (kHz). EPG does not block the frequencies usually
associated with the alerts from emergency vehicles.
* EPG (laminated glass) blocks 95 percent of the harmful UV rays which
helps protect the car interior from the damaging effects of UV as well
as the skin of vehicle occupants.
* With an optional infrared coating, EPG can reduce the unpleasantness of
hot steering wheels, seats and seat belts because EPG also helps reduce
solar energy (infrared) transmission by 60 percent. For example, the
interior temperature of a car sitting in the hot sun can be reduced by
up to 36 degrees F. EPG's ability to reduce sun damage and heat is
becoming an increasingly attractive feature.
EPG can also mitigate occupant ejection from a vehicle, a problem
according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that
results in thousands of deaths per year in the U.S. alone.
A COMPENDIUM OF AUTOMOTIVE CRIME STATISTICS:
CAR CRIME FIGURES FOR THE U.S.
(As of 12/31/1999, the latest reported by NICB)
taken from the U.S. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB):
The statistics cited are:
Total vehicle thefts - 1,240,754 Cost of vehicle theft - $7.5B;
Avg. value per vehicle - $6,030 at time of theft
Theft rate - 459/100,000 people
Recovery rate - 65 percent
NICB claims that stolen vehicles not recovered most often are:
Shipped overseas
Sold to chop shops
Retagged and resold
Hidden or destroyed by owners
TOP TEN VEHICLES REPORTED STOLEN IN THE U.S.IN 1998*
1. Honda Accord
2. Toyota Camry
3. Chevrolet Full-size Pickup (C/K) 4. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
5. Honda Civic
6. Oldsmobile Cutlass
7. Ford Full-size pickup (F-Series) 8. Ford Mustang
9. Dodge Caravan
10. Toyota Corolla
TOP U. S. CITIES FOR "SMASH-AND-GRAB" THEFT (1998)*
CITY THEFTS FROM AUTOS
1. New York, NY 45,645
2. Los Angeles, CA 31,298
3. Houston, TX 17,765
4. Philadelphia, PA 15,380
5. Austin, TX 15,262
6. Detroit, MI 15,059
7. Baltimore, MD 13,596
8. Dallas, TX 12,884
9. San Diego, CA 12,147
10. San Francisco, CA 11,548
Source: U.S. Department of Justice's Uniform Crime Reporting Program and
National Crime Victimization Survey
* As of 12/31/99
CAR CRIME FIGURES FOR FRANCE (1999)
Vehicle-related thefts account for 47% of recorded thefts
1,062,551 vehicle-related thefts in 1999 of which:
297,058 thefts of cars
666,604 thefts from cars (break-ins and "smash and grab")
CAR CRIME FIGURES FOR GERMANY (1999)
90,000 thefts of cars
500,000 thefts from cars (break-ins and "smash and grab")
Dusseldorf
102400