Electroluminescent and Piezoelectric Ceramics in Automobiles
Do you remember our discussion of electroluminescent lamps in Chapter 4? EL lamps provide the lighting for the instrument panel, radio, clock, car phone, and sometimes even the overhead lighting in many cars.
EL lamps are very low-cost, use little electricity, off no give heat, and last a long time with no maintenance.
Piezoelectric ceramics are used in several ways in the passenger compartment of your car. The first that you probably notice when you get into your car is the quartz clock.
The second is probably the seat-belt alarm if you try to start the car without buckling up.
Piezoelectric ceramics are great noisemakers when they vibrate at a frequency that's audible to our ears.
Many automobile anti-theft alarms also use piezoelectric ceramics.
Another piezoelectric ceramic use is in loudspeakers, along with ceramic magnets.
Yet another important use is for the sensor that decides whether the air bags should be set off when your car runs into something.