What’s the Purpose of the Black Dots on Windshields?

Have you ever had one of the most random questions pop into your head? Like, why is the sky blue?

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Well, according to NASA, "Sunlight reaches Earth's atmosphere and is scattered in all directions by all the gases and particles in the air. Blue light is scattered more than the other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves."

Random Questions

While answered, that's not the random question I'm talking about today.

Today's random question that needed answering was, "What are those black dots for on my windshield?"

You know what I'm talking about. You probably see them every day but don't give them another thought.

Don't worry, my brain did the random thinking for you and went in search of an answer.

What are the Black Dots on My Windshield For?

Here's what I learned about those black dots on your windshield and what their purpose is.

No, it does not have to do with defrosting your windshield. Instead, Travel + Leisure tells us that these little dots are called "frits" and their main purpose is for adhesion.

"The frit is black painted enamel that's baked onto the surface of the glass, and it provides a secure point of contact between the glass, urethane adhesive, and windshield frame."

Additionally, it hides the adhesive, giving it a better overall look. Not to mention, Family Handyman says that those little black dots also provide temperature control.

The dots distribute the heat more evenly, which prevents the windshield from warping in the heat.

So now that you know that, the next time you get into your car, thank those little black dots on the windshield for doing an awesome job!