So, car relays can be seen as a collection of two parts: the control circuit for coil operation and the main circuit for contact operation. In the control circuit of a relay, there is only a small working current. This is because the contact capacity of the operating switch is small and cannot be used to directly control loads with high electricity consumption. It can only be controlled through the contacts of the relay to make and break.

The main function of automotive relays is to control high currents, as directly controlling high currents through switches may generate electrical sparks and cause danger. Automotive relays belong to switches that control high current with low current, and are a type of electrical component in automotive electrical systems.