The use of camera-based safety systems is growing at a
rapid rate in modern automobiles. At the same time, windshields, where many of the cameras are mounted, are becoming larger and more complex in shape. As the industry moves towards vehicles with full autonomous capability, the number of cameras required and the resolution of the cameras are both increasing. However, the
optical quality of thewindshield is less than optimal. One of the problems is caused by the typical black enamel
frit that is printed on the glass, prior to heating and bending, to hide or obscure the camera hardware. Theabrupt thermal gradients during bending, caused by the heat absorbing black
frit, result in a high level of
distortion in the camera
field of view. The object of this invention is to provide a laminated automotive
glazing having an obscuration area produced by creating an obscuration after heating and bending the glass by removing a portion of the plastic interlayer glass in or near the camera
field of view (camera obscuration) or / and in the edges of the
windshield (
black band) and replacing it with an inlay made of a substantially opaque plastic or other suitable material in or near the camera
field of view (camera obscuration) or / and in the edges of the
windshield (
black band) rather than printing and firing an enamel
frit on the glass. This results in a laminate having superior opticalquality, higher strength and a lower probability of breakage as compared to a laminate with a black enamel frit obscuration.