3M optical technology. Applied to mobility.

Cabin Experience Solutions

  • Sometime—in the not-too-distant future—the phrase ‘mobile device’ will mean something very different from what it means today.  Vehicles will be operated with sweeping gestures and voice commands. Passengers will be mobile shoppers, learners and explorers, and our mobile device will be the one we drive.


Keeping drivers calm, cool and connected with 3M™ Ultra-Clear Solar Film

Reduce solar load. Decrease reliance on air conditioning.

Panoramic sunroofs and highly contoured glass are gaining popularity. These beautiful designs bring more light into the cabin.  Solar grade glass keeps passengers and their pets cooler when exterior temperatures rise. Decrease reliance on air conditioning, increase power efficiency and improve passenger comfort with 3M™ Ultra-Clear Solar Film (UCSF). With UCSF and the appropriate inner layer stack, auto engineers may remove the mechanical sunshade to reduce weight and cost.

  • Panoramic sunroof in light-filled interior cabin of car with male driver and passenger

    Laminated Glass Applications

    • Sunroofs
    • Windscreens
    • Backlites
    • Rear quarter panels
  • Reduce solar load by at least 28%

    Automotive electronics must be built for the long haul. A connected mobility experience includes smart devices—touch and gesture controlled displays. Ultra-Clear Solar Film helps protect delicate electronics, HUD systems and Picture Generating Units (PGUs) with its >200 microlayers engineered to reflect infrared wavelengths. A reduction in solar load can be greater than 28% depending on engineering and environmental conditions.

    Other delicate electronics such as visual cameras can remain protected inside the cabin while requiring minimal tuning for optimal performance.


  • Reduction in skin surface temperature that translates to a feeling sensation of up to 14°C (25°F) cooler*

     

  • 10% reduction in the power draw of the AC compressor and blower fan

     

  • Minimal to zero Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)

     


Summer heat? No sweat.

  • Passengers can enjoy an added level of comfort when their vehicle is shielded with UCSF. Studies have shown a reduction in skin surface temperature that translates to a feeling sensation of up to 14°C (25°F) cooler.* The same study showed a 10% reduction in the power draw of the AC compressor and blower fan. Cooler automotive interiors mean passengers can turn down the AC and quiet the ride. Less reliance on air conditioning can lead to better battery performance, fuel efficiency, and decreased emissions. Good for the driver, good for the planet.

  • * Performance depends on glass construction. Contact 3M for more information.

  • Full-width panoramic sunroof in car with three passengers in backseat

    Electric Vehicle road trips—that 30-minute recharge stop just got cooler

    Passengers on a long road trip will appreciate the IR rejection properties of USCF when they sit inside the car to wait for the battery recharge. Since the film reflects IR heat, the glass on the inside stays cooler to the touch. Ultra-Clear Solar Film becomes more effective as the sun changes position throughout the day and throughout the seasons. The more sunlight that hits glass at an angle, the more the film’s IR rejection capabilities increase.**

  • **Solar performance values reported at normal angle of incidence. Performance of 3M UCSF improves with increasing sun-to-glass angles, more closely resembling real world conditions. Contact 3M for more information.

Strong signals—maintain connectivity with design flexibility and high transparency

  • Industry pacesetters in automotive are pushing larger, more complicated glass shapes into cabin design. Having greater than 90% transmission of visible light with virtually no color, USCF provides outstanding visual clarity.

  • And signal clarity too. Go metal-free.

    USCF doesn’t contain metal which means minimal to zero Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). It is the only heat-reflecting technology on the market that does not exhibit signal loss due to metals. Metallized window glass and laminate films designed to block solar irradiance exhibit signal attenuation and require removal of the metalized solution in specific areas where signal or camera based systems operate—such as behind the rear view mirror—exposing these areas to increased solar load.

  • UCSF Signal Compatibility

    • Cell phones
    • Satellite Radio
    • GPS
    • Toll and HOV transponders
    • Garage door remote controls
  • A flexible film which enables flexible design

    With design aesthetics trending towards larger panoramic glass roofs, seamless appearance and a modernized sleeker look, removal of the shark fin antenna has become more appealing. You can now integrate antennas in a variety of places within the cabin without worrying about signal attenuation.

    Complex glass curvatures present fabrication challenges when incorporating metalized coatings for solar control.  Ultra-Clear Solar Film has properties that makes it extremely conformable to complex and highly contoured surfaces, expanding the possibilities for glass designs needing solar control.


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