The importance of car windows and windscreens often goes understated, given that a sturdy, robust, clear windscreen can often help you avoid accidents and potentially save your life when you are in one.

It is, therefore, no surprise whatsoever that cars have been fitted with windscreens as standard for well over a century, with the Oakland Model 40 believed to be one of the first car models to provide a windscreen as standard equipment.

However, what was the first car sold with one at all, and what problem was it trying to solve?

Why Were Windscreens Invented?

Early cars, such as the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, were designed as horseless carriages, designed to travel at roughly the same speeds and with the same level of caution. The first cars were anything but predictable.

However, as designs improved, cars became easier to control, faster and more commonplace, and this led to the exposure caused by the lack of a horse becoming more problematic.

Roads were unpaved and commonly kicked up dust and rocks, drivers were completely exposed to the elements, and as speeds increased, these minor annoyances evolved into outright dangers.

Drivers often wore goggles to protect their eyes, but a more robust solution was needed.

What Was The First Car To Use A Windscreen?

This led to the development of cars such as the Peerless Type 8, which featured a glass windscreen for the driver to see through.

Whilst it is difficult to ascertain the very first windscreen, it is believed that the 1904 car was the first to be designed with a windscreen in mind, as the glass pane complements the rest of the design and its hardtop roof.

Did Early Windscreens Work?

To a degree, early windscreens helped to fix the debris issue, although they introduced two arguably even bigger concerns.

The first was that the windscreen would quickly get dirty, but the bigger issue was that the fragile glass could cause lacerations if a driver or passenger was thrown into or through it.

These were eventually solved through the use of laminated glass, a system used to this day by glass experts.