I'm waiting for the electrochromic tint as option

[Flyer]

This is probably very cost prohibitive at the current moment, but we've got nightvision don't we?

How about factory window glass that has a variable tint ability. Ride around blacked out if you want, and then mr. officer pulls you over to check tint, and you dial it out completely. Their only concern with tint levels is to make sure you're not gonna cock 'em with a big chromed 45 when they walk up to your car anyway, so make it so they can see you when they need to, and then you tint up for the sunny summer!

At least make a dual or triple stage system for a few different levels. Something like the standard rear view mirror autotint would be nice, except make it manual control.

Anybody know why we haven't seen this as an option yet?

[Bentham]

When my brother went to the tint shop a year ago they actually said something about a 'switch' to change the tint level. They never gave him a price but said it was costly. However, I've never heard of anyone having it.

-Eric

[JasonA]

Flyer, that's a great idea. Never thought of it myself, but it seems like it'd work (assuming it'd be cost effective). The new Maybach cars have something they call an "electrochromic roof" or something like that. Basically, flip a switch and all of a sudden you can see through the roof. It sounds like it might be similar to your idea, but of course those Maybachs cost a few hundred thousand dollars, so there's no telling how much that roof costs.

[bigboy6998]

Its the same stuff they use in welding hoods. Thoses come with a sensor above the veiwing lense and when an arc is struck it auto tints to the appropriat level with out damaging your eye. i think they make some that auto adjust or some that just tint to a certain level (meaning if you weld with diffrent processes you would have to change lenses. I had heard something about a vet having it one year but that was a freind that said that when talking about it a few years ago. they have had it in welding hoods for a while now. i was thinking reostat for the adjustment. from almost no tint to complete flat black. (think how bright a arc is vs through the welding hood) hook it up to your car alarm and lights and have it go completely black when car is off (shouldnt casue battery drain cause no batterys are needed for the hood-solar powered) and when you set the car alarm have them go clear to solid flashing, would be cool. also dialing in when driving would be great. going completely balck when parked should be great for keeping heat out in the summer and for security.

[MotorCityRick]

I have seen the same thing as Jason described on an episode of This Old House. A bathroom remodel ended up having a tub on a side wall that had a standard size window in it. Their solution was to install a window that goes from opaque to crystal clear with the flip of a switch. It met the code for tempered glass and it was a very low voltage system. I don't believe the amount of contrast was adjustable on that particular window. Even though it was a couple of years ago that I saw that show, I do remember the cost being several times what a regular window would be. Since southern states allow much higher degrees of tint, a simple on or off system wouldn't work well everywhere either.

Cadillac found a way to get magnetic particles to align to an adjustable degree and respond to changes within milliseconds in their struts, so why not the window glass? I would love to have a slide adjuster on the console for those bright days and just dial up any level of tint I wanted! Yeah, great idea - put me down for one of those.

[stsjoe]

Cadillac actually had this on a prototype years back, I remember reading the article and I believe the prototype was the fleetwood back in the 80's maybe Bob can shed some light on it.