The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) announced that its Technical Committee has approved the CAPA 801 Standard for the certification of automotive glass.
The standard – the first in the industry for independently produced aftermarket glass – currently applies to windshields but may be expanded to include side and rear windows in the future. It contains requirements for materials, dimension and appearance, said the association.
In the past, fit and clarity were the primary concerns when using aftermarket glass; however, with the growing trend of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) being incorporated with automotive glass, considerations surrounding the functionality of ADAS equipment must be also made.
Following feedback from the collision repair industry regarding the quality of aftermarket automotive glass, CAPA created the 801 Standard, which requires demonstrated compliance to applicable sections of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205, Glazing Materials, as well as ADAS-related hardware, appearance, materials and dimensional requirements not addressed by the federal standard. The standard does not include requirements for glass installation.
“Our Technical Committee’s experience and expertise in standard development provides the industry the assurance of safe and quality aftermarket auto glass,” said Clark Plucinski, chair of the CAPA Board.
CAPA’s Technical Committee, led by Chair Nick Scheid of LNS & Associates and Vice Chair Rod Enlow of RENlow Auto Technical Consulting Inc., is responsible for CAPA’s Standard Development and approval and is comprised of collision repairers, insurers, part distributors, manufacturers and other industry experts.
