Onto a miscellaneous but related topic -- bolt design.

Below is a photo of one of the two identical OEM M10-1.25x40mm bolts that secure the propeller shafts' center bearing bracket to the vehicle. As you can see pointed out by a red arrow near the threaded end of the bolt, there is a notch cut that is similar to the notch you might see in a "thread chaser" or a plug tap. What is the purpose of that notch on this particular bolt? Is this a so-called self-tapping bolt (that is, the hole in the chassis of the vehicle that accepts this bolt was originally drilled but not tapped; and when the bolt was screwed into the hole the notch cut threads in that hole)? Otherwise, if the chassis hole had already been threaded, why did Mit. use this "style" of bolt rather than the typical bolt that has no notch or tapered end? Does this style bolt more or less "automatically", more reliably engage its threads into the threads of the hole rather than accidentally cross-thread?
Thanks.