These horizontal lines on the rear window of cars have a real use, especially in winter

You may have already noticed the presence of horizontal lines on the rear window of your car. But what are they for?

A classic vehicle generally consists of six large windows: the windshield, placed in front of the occupants to see the road, the four side windows, two at the front and two at the rear, and the rear window commonly called the window . The latter allows the driver to see what is happening behind the vehicle, either by briefly turning around when necessary or by glancing in the central rear-view mirror. This is essential for road safety because it helps the driver change lanes, perform parking maneuvers and be aware of other vehicles approaching from behind.

Although the rear window is very useful for driving, it is, by far, the window through which car occupants look least often. Have you ever noticed what sets it apart from all the others? If this is not the case, we encourage you to take a closer look. You will find that several horizontal lines are drawn on the glass. They cross it along its entire length with a regular space between them. Although car manufacturers pay particular attention to the design of their cars, this has nothing to do with aesthetics. These horizontal lines have a very specific and very useful function for motorists, especially in autumn and winter.

It is in fact thanks to them that it is possible to defrost or defog the rear window of your car in just a few seconds when it is cold or wet. Unlike the windshield, which is defrosted most of the time using a blast of hot air projected directly onto the window, the rear window has its own small integrated heater. We turn it on each time we press the small button represented by a rectangle crossed by three small arrows waving upwards.

Technically, the rear window is covered horizontally by several filaments which emit heat when the dedicated button is pressed. These filaments are directly inserted into the lamination of the window glass. The horizontal lines visible on the rear window of cars are in reality nothing other than their imprint on the tile.