autoevolution 11 Feb 2021, 9:58 UTC ·
by 6 photos
You’re rushing to get to a meeting and didn’t have time to plug in your phone, so you rely on the charger inside your car. Once you start driving, you receive an important call but the phone’s battery dies before you get to answer.
If this hasn’t happened to you yet, count yourself lucky because a non-functional power socket (12V socket; power outlet; lighter receptacle) is a very common problem for car owners.
Initially designed to power an electric cigarette lighter, it has become a 12V DC auxiliary power source for most of the gadgets we use. It’s part of the car’s electrical system, and many modern cars have more than one, albeit without the lighter.