Clearview National October 2017 - Issue 191 | Page 78

GLASS&SEALEDUNITS
Switchable Glass
– Transforming
Car Showrooms
» » SEAN BROWN OF
Intelligent Glass describes how
the technology behind switchable
glass is not only providing some
useful solutions to problems,
but also actually transforming
premium car showrooms.
Car showrooms are
conventionally very stylish places.
The open spaces, the clinical,
‘new car’ smells, the classy fixtures
and interior design- a lot of time
and effort goes into making this a
premium environment.
Switchable glass complements
car showrooms perfectly, and
indeed Intelligent Glass, the
UK-based supplier of switchable
glass, has an illustrious history
with premium car showrooms
and manufacturers. They have
been called upon to help promote
some of the world’s most
luxurious cars, working with
notable brands such as Rolls-
Royce, Jaguar Land Rover and
Mercedes.
Switchable glass serves as an
ideal solution to a number of
requirements car showrooms may
have, from car displays to product
launches, and Intelligent Glass
offers a wide array of potential
solutions that could serve general
or specific needs. What makes
switchable glass so special is its
use of PDLC technology to offer
users instant, controllable privacy
at the press of a button. The glass
changes state from frosted to
clear, transforming it into a rear
projection capable privacy screen,
partition or even window.
Recent applications have seen
switchable technology used to
merchandise new launches,
notably Jaguar Land Rover, who
used it to launch the F-Type,
and Rolls-Royce, who used it to
launch the Dawn. By combing
switchable technology with a
projection application, you can
use two of the most coveted
features of switchable glass to
maximum effect. But it doesn’t
stop there. Intelligent Glass
also offers its screens as touch-
compatible too, meaning you
can make use of an interactive
rear projection switchable screen
that engages audiences like never
before.
Jaguar Land Rover used
the rear projection aspect of
switchable technology on a
grand scale, opting to install a
large panelled switchable wall as
a stage backdrop, unveiling the
new vehicle behind it at will.
This was a fantastic application
that was used effectively to
build anticipation, creating an
environment of excitement as the
launch presentation draws closer
to the unveiling. Projecting large
images onto the wall, Jaguar Land
Rover was able to enforce the
power and scale of their launch
while at the same time, focusing
their audience’s attention on the
exact location in which the car
will be revealed. In a true stroke
of genius, Jaguar Land Rover
utilised a technological limitation
to its benefit, by maintaining a
projected image of the Jaguar
and F-Type logos after the car
had been unveiled, the clear-
state switchable glass creates a
holographic styled ‘overlay’ that
becomes more prominent when
you position yourself on either
side of the screen, as the natural
PDLC perspective haze of the
screen intensifies. This ensured
that there was never any wasted
78 » OCT 2017 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
space, as the logos were always
being displayed, without them
interfering with the visibility of
the car behind the screen.
Rolls -Royce opted for a
slightly more engaging approach
in launching the Dawn, by
partnering up with the world-
famous, London-based store,
Harrods. Building a switchable
screen into Harrod’s display
window proved to be an
immensely powerful launch
tool. Making the launch all the
more anticipated, they projected
a countdown onto the screen,
offering passers-by an insight
into how long they need to wait
for the car to display, increasing
the chances of them stopping to
experience it. People were able
to pass freely, only gathering to
witness the next time-sensitive
unveiling. These crowd gatherings
only served to increase the
chances of catching the attention
of passers-by. This installation
attracted a large amount of
attention from the general public,
appearing on social media and
being featured in a number of
magazines and online articles.
Mercedes have turned
to multiple applications of
switchable glass in recent
years, mainly focused around
the customer experience and
customer journey. Car showrooms
in particular can benefit from
such technology by using it to
express scale and quality. For
example, by installing a panelled
switchable wall in the showroom,
salespeople are able to use it as
a tool to aid the sales process.
Hiding a car behind such a wall
offers them the chance to truly
‘wow’ their customers, putting
the first impressions of the sales
team, as well as the car, in the
best possible light. Unveiling a
car to a customer after purchase
or upon colle ction is also a nice
touch, building anticipation and
again, putting the customer in a
positive frame of mind, with the
customer experience serving as a
representation of the quality of
the product purchased.
Mercedes have also pioneered
switchable glass in the automotive
industry as part of an innovative
and engaging information display.
Using switchable technology in
this application serves various
uses, maximising the effectiveness
of the investment by utilising
some of its multiple features.
Using the joysticks, users are able
to navigate their way through
the information being projected
onto the screen, and when the
user journey requires it, the
screen is able to switch its state
automatically to reveal the feature
display behind it.
The exciting thing about these
applications is, that while they
may be innovative, creative and
stimulating, they simply scratch
the surface in what switchable
glass is capable of. Recent product
developments from Intelligent
Glass have seen their switchable
range expand to new specialist
solutions, including sound
insulating switchable glass, fire-
resistant switchable glass and even
voice- activated switchable glass.
In fact, the applications of this
technology are limited only by
your imagination.
https://vimeo.com/158359400
https://vimeo.com/89425663
http://intelligentglass.net