Some of the least enjoyable moments of driving occur when the sunlight shines right through the windshield. The world around you suddenly becomes almost impossible to discern, potentially creating a problem for yourself and everyone else on the road. And while almost every commercial vehicle has had sun visors for decades, little has changed in the overall design. But one company is offering automakers a new take on the tried-and-true accessory: a translucent, auto-dimming anti-glare visor for driver and passengers.
Designers at Michigan-based company Gentex are no strangers to the concept. If The drive explained that they are responsible for some of the first auto-dimming rearview mirrors in the 1980s, as well as many current versions of digital rearview mirrors. Although Gentex first debuted an earlier version of the dimmable, transparent lens in 2023, their latest iteration includes some new features. In addition to reducing glare on demand via the dashboard touchscreen, the visors can now also transition into a vanity mirror via a specialized reflective layer, along with a transparent screen that provides real-time alerts and notifications.
The visor – and a sliding roof variant – is based on a concept known as electrochromatism, in which certain materials darken depending on their exposure to electricity. This usually involved the production of reinforced glass infused with metal oxides, usually tungsten oxide. But Gentex products instead use organic materials called viologists. These offer similar color-changing properties, but are often cheaper, less toxic and easier to recycle. Viloogen-powered “smart windows” from Gentex can already be found in some cases Boeing 787 aircraftbut for now, the sun visor variant remains one of many prototypes on display at CES 2025.
It’s easy to imagine a scenario where an eye-level smart glass, filled with high-tech features, becomes an unintentional distraction. At the same time, responsible use could actually provide the driver with a field of view that traditional visors obstruct. For now, though, it’s up to car designers to decide whether Gentex’s latest ideas will make it into next-generation cars.
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