How Does the Central Door Lock System in Cars Work?
2 Answers
Car central door lock system works by emitting weak radio waves from the owner's vicinity, which are received by the car antenna. The electronic control unit (ECU) then identifies the signal code, and the system's actuator executes the locking or unlocking action. The system consists of a transmitter and a receiver. Functions of the central door lock system: 1. When the driver locks their door, all other doors are simultaneously locked, and the driver can unlock all doors via the door lock switch; 2. When the vehicle reaches a certain speed, all doors automatically lock to prevent passengers from accidentally opening them by operating the door handles.
The car's central locking system is actually controlled by a smart brain that manages all the locks. When you press the key fob or the lock button inside the car, a signal is sent to the central controller. This little box immediately sends commands to the actuators in all four doors, and the motors or air pumps drive the locking mechanisms. The entire synchronization process takes less than a second. Even cooler, some cars come with speed-sensing functionality—they automatically lock once the speed exceeds 20 km/h. Some high-end models even allow remote control via a smartphone app, so you can unlock your car in winter without fumbling for keys. Last time my car locks malfunctioned, I spent hours troubleshooting only to find out it was just a loose actuator plug.