How Does a Brake Switch Work?

Brake switches help keep you safe.

A brake light switch is a control device in a car that helps make brake lights go on. When you press down on a brake pedal, there is a switch just underneath it.

Basics

Many devices in a car work because of electrical circuits -- you need a complete pathway of electrical current to make a brake switch work properly. A brake switch is also called a component control device as it can start and stop current flow to the brake light.

Features

The power source for the electrical current comes from the car battery. Conductors provide a roadway for the electricity to travel. Switches are sometimes in charge of opening and closing the current pathway-- if they didn't, brake lights might stay on continually.

Cruise Control

Some vehicles use series-parallel circuits to run both brake switches and cruise control. A power source, a car battery, for example, brake switch control and protection devices may all work together at the same time -- switches can separate or join electrical flow as needed.

References

• Autoshop 101: Electrical Circuits

Resources

• Free Patents Online: Control Device for Controlling Accelerator and Brake Switches