Over the past few years, windscreen technology has changed significantly, from being a simple piece of laminated glass, to being one of a range of tools to keep the driver and passengers of the vehicle safe and informed, with the introduction of ADAS and other head up display and augmented reality technology.

When Esprit first started repairing screens back in the 1980s, there were minimal considerations to take into account when deciding where on the screen we could repair.

With the introduction of ADAS technology, it has become increasingly expensive and complex to remove, replace and recalibrate screens, making the demand for repairs even greater. Repair doesn’t affect the ADAS systems, and although we recommend not carrying out repairs in the hatched area of the screen, or in front of any cameras, a repair can be safely and easily carried out in any other area of the screen.  There are some restrictions on the size of damage that can be repaired in front of the driver’s vision, (damage should be smaller than 20mm in this zone) but these are minimal.

We used to find that garages would often prefer to replace a windscreen than repair, because there was a good profit margin, and it was a fairly straightforward swap. However, taking into account the cost of new glass, plus the time required to recalibrate, and the fact that with a repair, there’s no recalibration and it only takes around 20 minutes, repair is almost always a more cost effective and simple screen solution.  In addition to that, the profit margin on repair is great, with the costs of repair normally being around £2-3, with garages charging around 35-40, and that’s for around 20 minutes work.

In addition, most consumers and companies are turning their minds to the sustainability of their products, and clearly repairing a screen where possible is preferable to replacement, in terms of simple sustainability, as well as cost and convenience.

Windscreens are used to having small areas of mild distortion, such as with dirt or rain, and ADAS is calibrated to cope with this. A windscreen repair carried out with a reputable product will leave such a small mark behind that this wouldn’t interfere with the ADAS or head up display, any more than a rain drop might. Additionally, an unrepaired chip is much more distracting to the driver, and also runs the risk of turning into a crack. Our Esprit repair kit has been tested by TUV Rheinland to the ECE R43 standard, which is that of a new screen, so you can be assured that any repairs carried out will leave the screen in excellent condition. Part of the testing regimen was the “clarity” test, which checks for any distortion in the screen after a repair has been carried out. Esprit passed this test, as well as the other various tests for strength and torsion, so we’re very confident that a repaired screen is an excellent choice for all new vehicles that have windscreen damage.