Noticed something strange with windshield...

[BryCola]

I picked up my Mach E on Friday. After the first weekend of driving it around, my first impression was...VERY cool car. Last night I noticed something though. I have a security camera in my garage because I use Amazon's "In garage delivery". I took a look at the camera last night after dark, so the camera was in night vision mode. It could not see through the windshield at all. I turned on the lights in the garage, and it looked normal. I've read about some people having trouble with the windshield blocking those EZ Pass cards. So maybe that shows up with the night vision camera. I'll find out about the card when I go to work this week...I use an access card for the gate. In the pic below, the one of the left is with the garage light on. On the right, the light is off and the camera is in night vision mode. It looks like I have a sun shield up, but I do not. Just thought it was interesting.

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[noway]

IR reflective glass. It is used to prevent sun radiation to enter the car (will reduce air conditioning), this may also block/reflect the IR light created by night vision cameras.

 

[ChasingCoral]

It isn't strange at all. That's exactly how an IR reflective window should look when using an IR camera.

 

[phil]

I would say it is indeed strange, though readily explainable. Cool photo.

 

[Raymondjram]

The toll cards should work through the special glass. Toll cards work at low GHz frequencies, while infrared is transmitted at 300 GHz to several THz. Your TV remote control will be blocked.

 

[BryCola]

It isn't strange at all. That's exactly how an IR reflective window should look when using an IR camera.

Well the part I thought was strange was that the windshield looked like I had a sunshield up when I didn't.

 

[QuRace]

The toll cards should work through the special glass. Toll cards work at low GHz frequencies, while infrared is transmitted at 300 GHz to several THz.

Maybe. Maybe not.

There is a second feature that will influence the transmission of electromagnetic radiation through the glass: the windshield heating. I'm not sure about the US, but all German (European?) MMEs have them. And this feature will also block transmission, albeit in a different frequency range (much lower) than IR.

There are threads on this forum reporting problems w/ toll cards and/or GPS signals.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

The toll cards should work through the special glass. Toll cards work at low GHz frequencies, while infrared is transmitted at 300 GHz to several THz. Your TV remote control will be blocked.

There are several threads on the trials of getting various toll cards to work anywhere other than the black dotted portion of the windshield.

 

[MachEnation]

This is great news! I was VERY concerned about foreign spies identifying me while operating at night. Now I know this car is perfect for my covert ops.

 

[noway]

Too bad the mach-E has its own IR blasters in the instrument cluster for the ADAS driving monitoring.. so it produces its own IR light internally, no need for an external ID floodlight (which will be reflected and block the view).

It is very easy to see how IR light is being produced and reflected, just use the camera on a phone. It is sensitive enough for IR to see the IR light created by various sources.

 

[BMT1071]

This is great news! I was VERY concerned about foreign spies identifying me while operating at night. Now I know this car is perfect for my covert ops.

I don't think the Selects come with the IRR windshield. ???

 

[MachEnation]

I don't think the Selects come with the IRR windshield. ???

Dang! Thanks, BMT, your country owes you a debt of gratitude.

 

[macchiaz-o]

Maybe. Maybe not.

There is a second feature that will influence the transmission of electromagnetic radiation through the glass: the windshield heating. I'm not sure about the US, but all German (European?) MMEs have them. And this feature will also block transmission, albeit in a different frequency range (much lower) than IR.

There are threads on this forum reporting problems w/ toll cards and/or GPS signals.

On the North American MMEs, the back window has resistive heating wires, while the front window has them only in very small portions. I think it's just the top-center trapezoid area that has the camera and rain sensor behind it, and maybe down low where the wipers are parked (but I can't remember for sure).

The rest of the front window is heated the way Americans know best, by blowing a lot of hot air.

 

[QuRace]

On the North American MMEs, the back window has resistive heating wires, while the front window has them only in very small portions. I think it's just the top-center trapezoid area that has the camera and rain sensor behind it, and maybe down low where the wipers are parked (but I can't remember for sure).

The rest of the front window is heated the way Americans know best, by blowing a lot of hot air.

Really? If that were the case, I'd be kinda disappointed...

When I read the specs before ordering, I was really happy to see 'heated windshield', expecting it to be full-area. Having had such a windshield in a previous Ford, I know what a nifty feature that is, delivering nearly instant, and full-area, defogging, on the press of a button.

Oh well, should have made sure w/ the sales rep beforehand... And, maybe, I will still be pleasantly surprised, and German cars have a different windshield. I guess I'll have to see what the future holds - the car is going on the ship, in Veracruz/Mexico, this Wednesday (Yay!).

 

[macchiaz-o]

Really? If that were the case, I'd be kinda disappointed...

When I read the specs before ordering, I was really happy to see 'heated windshield', expecting it to be full-area. Having had such a windshield in a previous Ford, I know what a nifty feature that is, delivering nearly instant, and full-area, defogging, on the press of a button.

Oh well, should have made sure w/ the sales rep beforehand... And, maybe, I will still be pleasantly surprised, and German cars have a different windshield. I guess I'll have to see what the future holds - the car is going on the ship, in Veracruz/Mexico, this Wednesday (Yay!).

I'm >90% sure that your vehicle will have a heated windshield as you described. It's one of several differences between European and North American specs.

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