Motorists have been left stunned after experts revealed the real reason why car windscreens have black dots. Every petrol, diesel and electric vehicle on the road has a black enamel strip around the outside of the windscreen with a series of black spots. These dots will usually get larger the closer to the black strip, allowing a seamless transition between the glass and the enamel.
However, the design is not just for aesthetics, with the dots playing a vital safety role that is actually keeping every driver safe. The purpose behind the dots was explained in detail by YouTube channel @zackdfilms with thousands of individuals reacting to the revelation.
He said: “Have you ever wondered what those little black dots are on your windshield? Well if you look closely you’ll notice they lead to a black band that goes all the way around. This is called a frit and it’s there to protect the glue that holds your windshield in place. But what about the dots?
“Because this band is black it heats up fast which can cause damage to your windshield, so they added dots to gradually even out the temperature.”
YouTuber @dmar87 commented: “Wondered this my entire life. Thank you.”
@drsamuelk added: “Now I have more respect for my polka-dotted windshield.”
@sneka2055 reacted: “You never know how complicated things are unless you really know how they work.”
@Zerod_Out posted: “Have you ever wondered what those little black dots are? Well yes, and now I know.”
Experts at AutoGlaze have previously confirmed that heat distribution was one of the main reasons dots are applied to vehicles. Without the feature, motorists may end up seeing things slightly different to reality with "optical distortion a real concern".
They explained: "The black dots, or 'dot matrix' actually help distribute temperature evenly to lessen optical distortion or "lensing".
"This happens when the frit band (the solid black one) heats up much faster than the windscreen’s glass, creating an optical distortion that makes either straight lines look curved or bowed inwards toward the centre.
"Those 'gradually sinking' black dots help lessen this phenomenon by dissipating the heat and spreading it out evenly."