Market Trends of Europe Smart Glass Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Europe Smart Glass market according to our research experts:
Transportation industry is expected to have further growth opportunities in the market
Increasing applications in the field of transportation are creating immense demand for smart glass. Smart glass has found a large-scale application, particularly in the automotive industry, in sunroofs, and exterior and interior automatic dimming rear-view mirrors. In fact, as most of the smart glass products are chemically toughened, they are far lighter than the traditional glass used in the automotive sector when installed in automobiles, helping automakers gain more fuel efficiency and meet regional emission standards.
Mercedes-Benz offers its S-Class Coupe, as well as other variants of the S-Class, with an option of popular Magic Sky Control panoramic roof, using SPD-SmartGlass technology. The company has turned to multiple applications of switchable glass, focused on the customer experience and customer journey.
Also, these glasses are increasingly being used in inspections and maintenance. With smart glasses, workers will be able to view their checklists during their inspections, reducing the likelihood of missing an item because of faulty memory. When a defect is discovered, the inspectors can immediately make a voice-recorded report, photograph the problem with the glasses, and forward their report and photos to workers who correct the errors.
Aerospace application companies, like Boing and Airbus, are implementing smart glass technology by integrating them with IoT systems. This trend is expected to open new opportunities in the market.
Moreover, Vuzix Corporation is working with Accenture and Airbus on an initiative to reduce the time taken to assemble aircraft cabin seats. This collaboration between Airbus, Accenture, and Vuzix smart glasses is a part of a greater effort toward industrialized wearable technology in aircraft manufacturing companies. According to Airbus, this technology produced impressive results. The process of making cabin seats improved by around 500%. The company also states that the technology reduced the rate of the error to zero and accelerated the level of operations.
Germany region witnesses significant growth opportunities in the market
Germany region is expected to witness further growth opportunities in the Automobile and Transportation industry, and according to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Statistisches Bundesamt), in 2020, total automobile sales amounted to EUR 286.7 billion in Germany. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, vehicle manufacturing is a strategic industry in the region.
OEMs, such as Audi AG and BMW AG, offer sunroofs in their vehicle models, and with Smart glass being increasingly used for sunroofs, as sunroofs, there are significant cost-saving benefits and superior control over light and heat emissions, thereby reducing the consumption of the air-conditioning unit, by maintaining the car's cabin temperature. This minimizes the lighting and cooling costs of the vehicles.
Major car manufacturers, such as Audi and Daimler, are replacing traditional glass with smart glass in their products. Mercedes has turned to various applications of smart glass over the recent years, especially focused on customer experiences.
Mercedes pioneered switchable glass in the automotive industry as a part of an engaging information display. By using the joysticks, users can navigate their way through the information being projected on the screen, and when the user requires it, the screen can switch its state automatically to reveal the feature display behind it.
Train manufacturers, operators, and train window suppliers in the region are also working with companies, such as Research Frontiers, SPD-SmartGlass technology, which allows the passengers and crew members to change the tint of the windows of a train at the touch of a button. This technology enables the control of heat and light coming to make train cars more comfortable and more energy-efficient.
