People are only just finding out what that shark fin on top of cars is for and I’m baffled

Every day seems to be a school day right now because people are learning all kinds of random things, like what that space is for before the zero on a ruler and why the railings on balconies are curved. Now, people are discovering what that fin is for that you sometimes see on top of cars. Honestly, I’ve never thought about it before, but now I need to know.

It all started on Twitter last week when someone shared a picture of the piece of plastic, which looks like a shark fin on the roof of a car, and wrote: “What’s the purpose of this thing on cars?” One person joked: “That’s a shark fin for your car to swim inside water.” Someone else shared another very wrong answer: “To spot it when it’s submerged in a lake.”

What's the purpose of this thing on cars? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/NNaEhHaBIM

— Sakpo (@sakpo0007_) April 16, 2026

So, what on earth is it there for? Well, it turns out, it’s an antenna to pick up radio, satellite, GPS, WiFi, cellular data and Bluetooth signals. Cars used to have long stick antennas, but these have been replaced with the shark fin antennas for a few different reasons. First, they look better. Arguably. But it’s not just about appearance.

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The shark fin antennas are more beneficial as they can hold multiple signals. Before, cars only had to pick up AM and FM signals for the radio. But now, it needs to pick up GPS, cellular and satellite signals, so the old-style antenna simply isn’t fit for purpose anymore. On top of that, they’re more sturdy and less likely to break, and are in a better place to pick up the signals.

So, next time you see one of those strange shark fins on top of a car, you’ll know exactly what it’s for. Wow, you really do learn something new every day.

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Featured image credit: Canva and Twitter