As our cars get more advanced with high-tech gear, new problems will arise. For example, car touchscreens prompted issues that caused Mazda to remove them from future vehicles. While a smart windshield doesn’t have any severe problems, fixing a cracked one will present new challenges for car owners. Here are five issues you should be aware of when your smart windshield gets a crack.

1. Be sure you have a smart windshield

This is a common problem because, according to AutoGlass, 67% of drivers don’t know their windshields are actually “smart.” There are a lot of ways a windshield can be considered smart, so be sure you know exactly what kind of windshield you have. For example, if your car has driver-assist systems like adaptive cruise control, you likely have a smart windshield.

2. Cost 

You may think a smart windshield is just another windshield you can easily replace, but that’s not true. Replacing an entire smart windshield can cost $2,000 or more, reports the New York Times. Comparatively, replacing a regular glass windshield will cost about $200 on average, a 10th of the cost of replacing a smart version. Also, make sure your insurance will cover repairing or replacing a smart windshield. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay a hefty price out-of-pocket.

3. Long repair times

Repairing a smart windshield will take much longer than repairing a regular one. Your car must go to a specialized facility as the mechanics will require advanced equipment to fix it properly. Depending on the severity of the damage, the mechanics may even do a dynamic recalibration of your car.

This term, dynamic recalibration, refers to taking your car for a ride to ensure it’s calibrated correctly. According to the New York Times, a senior manager at a repair facility said they may drive your car for up to 25 miles to recalibrate everything. So, if your smart windshield needs to be repaired or replaced, set a few hours aside so it can get fixed properly.

4. Recalibration or replacement?

Smart windshields carry a lot of high-tech, sensitive equipment. You may think you’ll be fine if your smart windshield gets a crack. However, the damage to your smart windshield, no matter how small, can affect your car substantially. If you take it to a mechanic, they may find out whether you need to recalibrate your smart windshield or replace it entirely.

Recalibration is much cheaper than replacing your windshield. It’ll depend on what exactly needs to be calibrated, but it can cost between $25 to $250. This process will also generally be faster than a replacement, as a recalibration can take between 15 minutes to an hour.

5. Collateral damage

Smart windshields are usually just a single part of your car’s smart safety system. However, a crack in your smart windshield may mean other parts of your car’s safety systems are damaged too. These systems are so sensitive that hitting a curb may knock your sensors out of alignment, which requires recalibration.

If you get a crack on your smart windshield, have your mechanic check that nothing else is damaged. One faulty sensor or camera can mess up your car’s smart safety systems.