What is the little shark fin on top of cars?

Have you ever wondered what those shark fins are on top of cars? Are they simply an accessory to look cool, or do they serve some sort of purpose? You certainly don’t remember seeing them in older model cars, but nowadays it seems like almost every car has one. What is it?

The shark fin on the rear roof of cars is a way to house the various antennae that cars are equipped with today. Sometimes the ones you see are for looks only, and the antenna is in the rear window. You can also buy shark fin diffusers that help with reducing drag and enhancing performance and speed.

Here are some of the the functions of the fin:

Radio antennae

The tail fin found on the hood of the vehicle is the radio antennae. As opposed to the straight lengthy rod mounted on the side of the driver’s door, front or boot of cars, manufacturers opted for a shorter one.

Inside the fin, the metal wire that receives radio waves is coiled into a smaller size. This was to avoid the damage and frequency disruptions encounters with the swinging of the conventional aerial.

Signal receptors

Modern cars come with better features to improve driver experience. These include navigation tools such as GPS and Bluetooth connectivity.

The signal receptors are also enclosed in the aerodynamic fin and which is then mounted on the car. This offers stable and uninterrupted transmission of cellular data to and from satellites.

Reduce Air Drag

When a car moves at a high speed, the air flows along the surface of the car forming a vortex at the back of the car causing resistance.

While the level of resistance is very minimal, the shark fin reduces it by cutting it down before it forms. Experts claim that the fin can reduce fuel consumption by up to three per cent.

Aesthetics

The fin is part of the vehicle’s design component. It is more aesthetically appealing than the swinging antennas initially mounted on cars.

It gives cars a sleek, sporty design. The fin can be purchased from a local car spare parts dealership and can be mounted with the help of an experienced mechanic.