Cars are cram packed full of sophisticated safety devices but there are some that are so clever we don’t even know they are there.
Drivers and passengers, for example, are barely aware that they have little black dots before their eyes when they look through the car windscreen.
Look closely at the edge of your car windscreen and you will see them, in whichever car you are driving.
The little black dots are aesthetically pleasing but their real purpose has been revealed by a well-informed explainer on Reddit.
The black dots stop the car windscreen coming lose
A user asked what the dots were for and experts confirmed that without them, there would be a risk of windows coming loose every time you drove over a speed bump or of you ending up with a soaking each time it rained.
The pattern is called a “frit”, is made from ceramic, is impossible to scrape off and will not melt in high temperatures.
The main purpose of the frit is to hold glass in place and seal the car windscreen, preventing water seeping inside the vehicle.
Frits are used on every car windscreen
You will find them on all cars – no matter how expensive, how old or what the make – and lorries and buses too.
Reddit user Warphim explained: “The dots serve two purposes.
“Because Frit is black, it heats up faster than the rest of the glass during manufacturing. This heat difference can cause issues in production so they make it gradual to reduce stress points.
“Aesthetics; it’s a visually pleasing way of integrating a function.”
The frit offers your windscreen double protection
The frit inside the window ensures the glass stays bonded to the vehicle, while the outside acts as protection against continual direct sunlight.
Without it, the adhesive would be weakened and there would be an increased risk of the glass coming loose.
The motoring experts at Adrian Flux are happy to discuss the little black dots before your eyes, but they will be even happier to find you a bespoke motor insurance policy for your pride and joy, with car windscreen cover too.