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.

When a certain voltage or current is applied to both ends of the electromagnetic relay coil, the magnetic flux generated by the coil passes through the magnetic circuit composed of the iron core, yoke, armature, and magnetic circuit working air gap. Under the action of the magnetic field, the armature is attracted to the pole surface of the iron core, thereby pushing the normally closed contact of the contact to open and the normally open contact to close; When the voltage or current at both ends of the coil is less than a certain value, and the mechanical reaction force is greater than the electromagnetic attraction force, the armature returns to its initial state, the normally open contact opens, and the normally closed contact closes.

In a relay, there can be multiple normally open contacts, normally closed contacts, and switching contacts. The normally open contact is in the disconnected position when not powered on, the normally closed contact is in the connected position when not powered on, and the switching contact can switch between the normally open and normally closed states.

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.