Former field as I'm still learning my current one, but auto glass is no joke.
Tons of your car's features are directly connected to your windshield. They're also a pretty important safety feature in your vehicle. Unlike your side and rear windows, which are typically tempered glass (also, in part, for safety reasons), windshields are laminated which is why they crack instead of shattering unless something really drastic happens to it. Also, because it's laminated, it can crack all the way from side to side and you're still safe. Just not from Johnny Law because he might give you a ticket.
For most makes, most of those new safety features like lane departure warning and forward collision alert are on sensors that work through the glass. Rain sensors, condensation sensors (if your AC automatically kicks on), auto dimming mirrors....they all have different brackets and frit cutouts to allow them to work properly.
Those black dots that drop down in the center by the rearview mirror that most people think is an antenna? Nope. Just an extra sun shade that's supposed to help block the sun in between your visors.
Also, fun fact, if you ever need to break a window in your car for whatever reason, the smaller pieces of glass are often the most expensive piece of glass on your vehicle. Go for a door tempered door glass.
Knowledge to some, but after almost a decade in auto glass, I learned that most people have zero clue when it comes to their auto glass.