Driving can be challenging when the sunlight shines directly through the windshield, making it difficult to see the road ahead. To address this issue, a company is offering a new take on the traditional sun visor: a translucent, auto-dimming antiglare visor for drivers and passengers.
Gentex, a Michigan-based company, is behind this innovative visor. They are known for their autodimming rear-view mirrors and digital rear-view mirrors. The latest version of their antiglare visor includes features like reducing glare through touchscreen control, transforming into a vanity mirror, and displaying real-time alerts and notifications on a transparent screen.
The visor and a sunroof variant use electrochromatic technology, which darkens materials when exposed to electricity. Gentex’s products use organic viologens, which offer similar benefits to traditional materials but are more cost-effective, less toxic, and easier to recycle. While Gentex’s smart windows are already used in Boeing 787 aircraft, the sun visor prototype was showcased at CES 2025.
While the high-tech features of smart glass could potentially be distracting, responsible usage could improve a driver’s visibility compared to traditional visors. It remains to be seen if automotive designers will adopt Gentex’s innovative ideas in future car designs.
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