Cars aren’t suitable for soldering or other permanent joints, so they tend to have a lot of connectors. These automotive connectors let power and data move through the vehicle without interruption, and they have to function reliably despite the constant vibrations and exposure to dust, debris, and water.
A key part of ensuring the reliability required is sourcing the right automotive connectors. To help do that, we’ll look at the different types of automotive connectors and their functions in a car.
What an automotive connector actually does
The most basic role of any connector is to act as a controlled meeting point between two electrical paths. But in cars and other vehicles, these connectors vary widely and play different roles.
Here’s what role these connectors play:
- Carrying power or data from one part of the car or accessory to another. Every time you turn on the headlights or roll down a window, a connector is involved.
- Protecting electrical contacts despite the heat from the engine, moisture from road spray, and the constant vibrations.
- Allowing quick connections such that you can easily unplug or replace a component.
- Acting as a locking mechanism so that wires don’t back out or shake loose when the car vibrates.
All these are geared towards ensuring that all electrical connections are flexible, safe, and durable.
Main types of automotive electrical connectors
Cars use hundreds of connectors, and the easiest way to group them is by how they link the different electrical paths in a vehicle.
Wire-to-Wire Connectors
These are the most familiar types to anyone who has ever swapped a headlight bulb or unplugged a sensor. They link one wiring system to another, ensuring that the connection is clean and secure. No need for electrical tape, which can be easily affected by heat.
These connections are quite useful in regions with replaceable parts, as they can be plugged and unplugged without cutting wires. In most cases, they have a positive locking tab, which is a small clip you press before disconnecting. The lock prevents the connector from shaking loose even on rough roads.
These connectors are often used in the lighting system, door wiring, and aftermarket accessories.
Wire-to-Board Connectors
These connectors are responsible for connecting the car’s wiring to the electronics that control everything, from the ECU to the infotainment system. One side connects to the wire, and the other anchors onto the circuit board.
Wire-to-board connectors play a huge role in serviceability, as you don’t need to connect wires directly to a circuit board. They also prevent direct stress on the circuit board when the vehicle vibrates, and you don’t need to cut any wire when swapping modules.
The connectors are mostly used in the Engine Control Unit (ECU), airbag control modules, ABS control units, and infotainment systems.
Board-to-Board Connectors (Terminals)
These connectors link two printed circuit boards (PCBs) together inside a module. The connectors let you create a rigid pathway between boards to keep everything compact, so there’s no need to use wires as a bridge.
Board-to-board connectors are quite useful in utilising the tight space in car circuits, and they allow manufacturers to stack PCBs vertically or place them side by side.
High-Voltage EV Connectors
Hybrid and electric vehicles need to move significant current and high voltages from battery packs, inverters, onboard chargers, and electric motors. Unlike regular automotive connectors, these connectors are designed to handle hundreds of volts.
Besides simply passing power, the connectors are expected to manage the power safely even under demanding conditions like regen braking, rapid charging, or high-load acceleration. As a result, they have design elements you won’t find in regular connectors, like touch-proof housing, seal ratings, and colour coding to prevent mix-ups. They help make high-voltage power manageable and safe, but ensure you choose the right one depending on the application.
