Drivers finally discover what little black dots on windscreen are and crucial function

When buying a car, you often look at the main features such as cruise control, boot space and how it drives. However, motorists rarely look at the windscreen, so it's no wonder a new revelation has caught the attention of drivers.

If you look at your windows, there are seemingly decorative little black dots - but they're not just for show. In fact, they serve a crucial function.

The small black dots adorning the edges of car windscreens, known as "frits" or dot matrices, are often found alongside a solid black band encircling the glass. Specialists at Autoglaze have revealed that these "underrated" dots play a significant role in temperature regulation, helping to reduce optical distortion, also known as lensing.

The specialist explained: "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."

These dots are important in mitigating this effect, reports the Express, ensuring drivers have a clear and undistorted view when driving by "dissipating the heat and spreading it out evenly".

Max Auto Glass elaborated on the purpose of these black dots, saying: "It provides a rougher surface for the adhesive sealant to stick to since this part of the windshield is the contact point between the glass and the vehicle's frame.

"This helps ensure that the adhesive can form a strong bond all the way around the windshield to properly hold it in place."

In addition, both experts said the frit serves a cosmetic function by establishing a "visual barrier". with the adhesive along the vehicle's frame obscured by the black enamel and dots which handily produce a finished look that seems far more "polished".

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter .