On stormy days, we have wondered what would happen to our car if it were struck by lightning.
First of all, it should be noted that the probability of lightning striking a car is minimal. This is because lightning seeks out tall, pointed objects such as trees, electrical towers, buildings, lightning rods... and even a person walking in an open field. Vehicles, due to their shape without protrusions and the fact that they travel on the ground, are very unlikely to attract a lightning strike.
In the remote case that lightning were to strike our car, it would act as a Faraday Cage, just as it happens with airplanes. The lightning would travel around the exterior of the car and discharge into the ground through a pointed element such as the exhaust pipe.
For this to happen, the windows should be closed, preventing any airflow from the inside to the outside.
The bodywork, especially the point where the lightning strikes, could be damaged, even to the point of being punctured. In addition, the electronics would be the most affected by this impact, as induced voltages would be produced in the electronic circuits, damaging them.
