Between thekeypads, keyless entry systems and conventionallocks, some cars today have four or five different ways to unlock thedoors. How do cars keep track of all those different methods, and what exactly happens when the doors unlock?
The mechanism that unlocks your car doors is actually quite interesting. It has to be very reliable because it is going to unlock your doors tens of thousands of times over the life of your car.
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In this edition ofHowStuffWorks, we'll learn just what's inside your door that makes it unlock. We'll take apart theactuatorthat does the work, and then we'll learn how the lock can be forced open. But first, let's see how the car keeps all its signals straight.
