Silver screens for Volkswagens

Volkswagen has come up with a new way of heating windscreens, without the traditional filament wires that can cause visibility problems on rainy nights or against low sun, writes Brian Byrne.

The system uses a wafer-thin layer of silver in the laminated glass to provide heating and also acts as an infra-red reflecting base in hot sun.

Volkswagen is offering the wire-free heated and infrared-reflecting windscreen as an optional extra for the Golf, Golf Sportsvan, Tiguan, Sharan, Passat and Passat Variant models. Prices start at €340 in Germany, depending on model.