EMF / EMR (RF, ELF) In Cars

EMF / EMR (RF, ELF) in Cars is very tricky and getting more widespread, As manufacturers try to push more technology into their cars. In addition, some of the EMF is coming from outside the car.

EMF in cars – In short

All cars emit some level of Low and mid-frequency (ELF, EMI) EMF magnetic and electric fields from the electric and electronic parts and devices, some more and some less. In Hybrid and Electric cars there are more electric/electronics systems that may emit ELF & mid-frequency EMF. In both cases if designed correctly (in order to prevent exposure) both full engine cars, hybrid and electric cars can be low EMF. In addition to ELF EMF Modern cars have wireless and cellular technologies embedded in them. It can be a wireless set of keys, A multimedia system with WIFI and Bluetooth and/or a cellular modem. It could be a wireless alarm/security system with GPRS/UMTS/LTE modem or a tracking device. Operating a smartphone inside the car may worsen the RF levels inside it.  What can we do? 1. Use your EMF (RF+ELF) meter to measure the car before you buy it. Prefer the lowest EMF car. 2. When buying a new car use your EMF meter to make sure the exposure to ELF magnetic field on the seats and feet , is as low as possible. I would make sure it is lower than 2mG (or as close to) on the seats, and less than 10mG on the feet. Make sure that all RF transmissions in the car can be turned OFF, or that the unit emitting them can be replaced with one that does not. 3. Turn OFF all wireless and cellular functions that you can and see fit to turn OFF such as the WIFI function on your car’s multimedia system, or the DATA connection on your cell phone. 4. Change wireless and cellular technologies for wired none wireless if and when possible (for example car security systems). 5. Considering the option of giving up Wireless and cellular systems that can not be exchanged with wired systems (consult with your car service guy what can be done). 6. For EHS people – Install RF Blocking film over the car’s windows, if and where the law and regulations in your country permit, in order to reduce exposure from external RF sources such as cell phone towers.  7. For EHS people – Wear RF Protection Hats and Clothes while you drive in the car in order to reduce exposure from external RF sources such as cell phone towers.

Video of EMF Magnetic field measurement in a hybrid Car

EMF Radiation in Cars – General

A vehicle is an Electro-Electronic-Mechanical machine, with electric, electronic(some time wireless), magnetic, devices and parts. These devices and parts emit magnetic and electric fields at different frequencies.

It is all “within the guidelines”

It is possible that the manufacturer or the car, its’ importers or the dealers of the car might tell you that the EMF radiation levels of the car you’re interested in, “were tested and were found to be compatible with the current safety standards”. There are clearly right. But if you are familiar with EMF safety standard guidelines lines, you should already know that the so called safety standards are outdated, based on life threatening effect, are not based on any biological or health risk and are generally very high. In some cases, the EMF emitting devices are not even tested for safety since their output power is considered to be very low (and most of the time no testing is required). However, this does not mean that the emission from these devices is safe or durable, especially in the case of EHS people. 

Can we use protection?

The protection of the inside space of a car from radiation emission from parts and devices inside the car can be very expensive and complicated. In the case of ELF protection, it is very expensive and can’t always be applied correctly in the car. In the cases of RF sources inside the car, the right approach should be to remove them, if possible or turn the OFF(or turn the transmission OFF). In the case of RF radiation from outside the car, RF protection film can be installed (according to your country’s law) on some of the windows. In some cases, protection will be impossible.
For EHS people, the use of RF Protection Hats and Clothes for EHS people might also help to some extent.
Therefore we recommend testing EMF levels (both ELF magnetic, electric and RF radiation) before buying the car, to make sure the EMF levels in the car is suitable for you.

What can be done about EMF in Cars?

If Radiation exposure issues are important to you and you want to reduce exposure also when driving your car, or in the case you are suffering from EHS and you need the exposure inside the car to be as minimum as possible, we advise you to check and test EMF (both RF and ELF) levels in every car you are interested in and thinking about buying.

Measuring EMF in Cars

The testing should be done using a home use EMF meter. According to what the meter shows you, you will have more info to make a knowledgeable decision if to buy the car or not. The EMF tests should be done both in the ELF magnetic field, ELF Electric field, and RF radiation.
The tests should be done:
1. Over the seats,
2. Where your head is, and where your legs and body are going to be as a driver and/or a passenger,
3. Below the steering wheel
4. Next to the paddles.
5. It is also recommended to scan the car for devices that emit RF radiation.

How and where to test?

All tests should be done in an environment with low EMF, so the reading will be of the radiation emitted from within the car and not from outside.
The test should be done when the car is idle, when the motor is running and when the car is driven at several different speeds.

Measruing the CAR

1. Use a fast sampling EMF meter with RF, ELF magnetic, and ELF electric field measurements. Measure in all these modes.
2. I recommend using the CORNET EMF meters that can measure RF/ELF-M/ELF-E and have a 15 seconds histogram, and its results are based on more than 10000 measurements for each second.
3. As in the case of measuring a new house for buy or rent, measuring EMF in cars require that you would already be very experienced with operating the meter and understanding the results.
4. Take the car to a low EMF environment, with low RF (surrounded by trees, no cell towers in view) and with low ELF (no power lines, no electrical infrastructure). Use the meter to measure the environment before bringing the car there.
5. Turn off all of your RF-emitting devices and communications. Like smartphones, wireless earpieces, and smartwatches…
6. Use a camera of your smartphone (after you turned off all its RF emissions and connectivities) to document the measurements.
7. Measure the car in different modes (see next steps). Scan the car with the meter (in RF then ELF-M , then ELF-E). Each and every test cycle try to find the sources and turn them off (if possible, for example for RF sources: Bluetooth speakerphone, WIFI, and Bluetooth from the entertaining system, car-connect system… for example for ELF sources: electric seats, heated seats, air condition, fans…).
8. When the car is turned off and idle, Scan the car for sources.
9. Repeat the measurements when the electricity in the car is turned on but the car engine is still idle.
10. At this point, you should have already found all the sources in the car, and turned off whatever could be turned off, so in the next step, you should see the addition of the radiation when the engine is on & when the car is moving.
11. Repeat the measurements when the engine is on, but the car is not moving.
12. For this stage, you will need 2 people. The first one will be the driver. The second will be the person who will use the meter to measure the car ( mostly relevant in hybrid and electric cars, but you will see some difference in gasoline cars as well.).
13. Repeat the measurements when the engine is on, & the car is moving in different speeds (for example 30KM/H, 50, 100).
    Measure the levels in every seat and location in the car, for at least 15 seconds, so you will be able to grasp the changes in the levels during this time.

What is a good result?

Chose the car with the lowest ELF-EMF exposure. I would make sure it is lower than 2mG (or as close to) on the seats, and less than 10mG on the feet.
ELF Electric Field should also be tested and should be as low as possible, lower than 10V/m.
Make sure that all RF transmissions in the car can be turned OFF, or that the unit emitting them can be replaced with one that does not.

ELF magnetic field measurements in the car (acceptable levels)

Next, we will try to note the different EMF sources inside a car and explain a bit about them. The following review is only general and not complete.

ELF magnetic fields in regular vehicles

ELE EMF(mainly magnetic fields but also electric fields) will usually be emitted from the following systems in most vehicles. The exposure level of the driver and passengers will be dependable on the level of ELF-EMF emitted from the devices and the distance of the driver/passenger from them:

1. Alternator/Distribute – creates an electric current and voltage in the car. It operation is based on magnetic fields, and therefore it is a source for these fields. Usually installed in the far end of the engine compartment, but in some cars will be installed closer to the driver or passenger(will cause higher ELF magnetic field exposure).
2. Battery – The battery itself is a DC power source, therefore usually(most of the time) will not emit AC EMF. But might emit DC voltage field and momentary changing currents and fields(for example when the engine is being started), that EHS people might respond to, especially in case the battery is close to the driver and passengers. In most cases, the battery will be installed in the engine compartment, but I have seen cars that the battery was installed under the driver’s or passenger’s seats.
3. Relay Switches – Some of the car electric control system is based on Relay Switches. When a relay switch is operated, an ELF magnetic field is created. This happens every time you press the brake or the turn signal, and in many other operations. 
4. Car & engine computer – Source for ELF and EMI magnetic and electric fields.
5. Tires (when spinning) – Tires have metal cords in it. When they are spinning in the earth’s natural magnetic field, an electric current is created in these cords, which creates an ELF magnetic field around the tire(only when the tire is spine).
6. Small Electric engine (like the wiper engines) – Creates ELF magnetic fields when turned ON
7. Fans and Air Condition system – Creates ELF magnetic fields when turned ON, In the case of the fan, the level of the field depends on the speed.
8. Other electric and electronic systems in the cabin – For example the Electric steering control box, Electric paddles control box, Airbag control box…

ELF EMF radiation from special systems

1. Sest heater system – When On some ELF magnetic fields will be present on the seats.
2. Electric saet position system – Some ELF magnetic fields will be present when changing the position of the seats. If the system was designed wrong, ELF magnetic field will be present all the time.
3. Stop&drive systems – ELF and Mid-frequency emitted from the electronic paddles(if exist), and from the control unit.
4. Audio-sound-multimedia-speakers systems – ELF from the multimedia system and from the speakers when loud music is played.
   RF might be emitted from the multimedia systems if Bluetooth or WIFI are enabled.

ELF EMF radiation in Hybrid and Electrical cars

Electric cars are the future. This is because an electric motor is a lot more efficient than a petrol motor. In addition, there are fewer mechanical parts in a fully electric car.

So far the downside of electric cars is the limited mileage they can go on with a single charge. But this will be solved by new battery technologies, new charging technologies, and new battery exchange technologies.

In the meantime Hybrid cars, that have a big petrol engine and a small electric engine, fill the gap while allowing better mileage/gallon and still allowing the car to go on even when the battery is drained.

More electric system, more EMF exposure

Hybrid and Electric cars generally have more electric and electronic systems than diesel or gasoline cars. So there is more chance that there will be more exposure to ELF EMF. Just like in patrol cars, if the car will be designed with the requirement to lower EMF exposure to levels below 2mG, the cars will be low EMF. While in a car that was designed without taking notice of the possible health effect of EMF exposure, the levels might be much higher. In addition to ELF EMF, the manufacturers should also be aware of the possible health effect of RF.

Hybrid Cars – problems from both worlds

In Hybrid cars there are electric systems (such as an alternator) as in a gasoline car. On top of that, you have more electric systems that store the energy(batteries), run the currents (power cables), and move the cars (motors). In addition to that, you have the charger that is working (and emitting ELF EMF) during driving the car. So overall hybrid cars have the highest number of electric systems that emit ELF-EMF.

Electric Car – It can be done

On the other hand, electric cars do not have the electric systems that a gasoline car has (for example an alternator), and not some of the systems that a Hybrid car has (for example a charger). It does have electric systems that can still cause ELF EMF exposure such as batteries, motors, power cables, and other systems. So it might be easy to design an electric car with low ELF EMF. However I still don’t see such a big initiative from the manufacturers to do so, and I still see electric systems too close to the driver and passenger, and therefore ELF-EMF, in electric cars today (06-2022).

RF radiation is also a problem

Exposure to RF radiation is also a problem in cars. I am sorry to say, but I am seeing more and more RF exposure in cars today. Especially in electric or hybrid cars which are trying to be “advanced” and “up to date” (but this problem is also apparent in gasoline cars).

Test before you buy

Just like in patrol cars we would recommend testing the car using a home-use EMF meter, both for ELF EMF and RF. Then see if the outcome you get is satisfactory.

Not for EHS

Until the picture will be clearer about the exposure to ELF EMF , EMI and RF in electric and hybrid cars, I will not buy or drive such a car, and could not recommend it to people that are aware of the possible health risk of EMF exposure (and took steps to reduce exposure such reduce the use of smartphones and stoping the use of wireless devices), and other Electromganitc hypersensitive people.

In the future

I hope that in the next few years car manufacture will put emphasis on designing electric and Hybrid cars in such a way that there will be no EMF (both ELF and RF) exposure in it. Again, with the right design, it is possible.

Tests done in 2009 for the Israeli Environmental Protection Ministry mapped the levels of EMF magnetic fields emitted from the electromagnetic systems in several models of Hybrid cars that were available in Israel at that time. At first look, there seem to be only some little issues, and the Average Levels on each seat are 5.5mG at the most(not low). But If you look deeper into the report you will see that the max levels measured on some of the seats, in some of the scenarios, reached much higher picks and average measurements. Test #1 – http://www.sviva.gov.il/subjectsEnv/Radiation/Documents/HybridCars/car-hibrid-honda-seif1_1.pdfTest #2 – http://www.sviva.gov.il/subjectsEnv/Radiation/Documents/HybridCars/car-hibrid-toyota-seif2_1.pdfTest #3 – http://www.sviva.gov.il/subjectsEnv/Radiation/Documents/HybridCars/car-hibrid-honda-monotech_1.pdfTest #4 – http://www.sviva.gov.il/subjectsEnv/Radiation/Documents/HybridCars/car-hibrid-toyota-monotech_1.pdf
For the test I did, I used a home-use meter in one type of a hybrid car, and tests done in Israel by others, it seems that indeed there are ELF magnetic fields emitted from the hybrid car systems. This is only logical since hybrid and electric cars have much more electromagnetic parts and systems. Some of them are in the following list:

1. Electric motors – More electric motors, including the main drive electric motor, exist in an electric and hybrid car.
2. Battery system – Stores the power for the electric motor. ELF will be emitted especially next to the battery and the fan (if installed in or next to it) when charging or when powering the electric motors.
3. Battery chargers – ELF radiation will be emitted while charging from the charger and from the fan (if exist).
4. Electric Currents conductors – Usually stretch from the batteries to the engine. Higher ELF will be emitted when the electric motor is in use or when charging the batteries.

RF radiation in the car itself (from embedded systems)

1. In-car wireless control systems – In some of the cars there are wireless control and communication systems that are transmitting data and commands from one device to the other. One example of that are wireless in-tube air pressure sensors.  Each and every one of these systems is different. In some, there is a constant “hand-shack” communication, in other just a “once in a while” transmission.
2. Key-less ignition and door open systems –  In the last few years we see more and more wireless key-less ignition systems, and the more advanced key-less door open system. Now you don’t need to use the key, just hold it in your hand or pocket, come close to the car and the doors of the car will be open,  a green light on the “Start” button will mark that the engine is ready to be started. These systems usually use Radio waves to create wireless communication between the key and the system. In some cases, the radiation emission is low, in some higher. In some cases the emission is temporary or “One time”, in some it is constant. 

RF Radiation in special car systems 

The following products and devices are usually add-ons to a car, sometimes as part of a service or accessories kit. These devices emit RF radiation.

1. Bluetooth hands-free devices – hand-free systems that come with the car or are added (video – https://youtu.be/puLsyrWNzcI).
2. Multimedia systems with 3G/4G, WIFI, Bluetooth communication.
3. Car fleet control and tracking systems with a cellular modem.
4. Driving safety systems with a cellular modem.
5. Car security & alarm systems with a cellular modem.
6. Wireless central locking system.
7. Car Radar systems.
8. FM transmitters for multimedia.
9. WIFI routers for cars (hot-spots).
10. Active GPS Antenna –  http://norad4u.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-reason-for-rf-emission-from-new.html
11. Driving Camera with WIFI/3G/4G/5G communication that streams the video to your phone or other.

RF radiation because of the use of cellphones and wireless devices in the car

Most cars have a metal body and doors. This metal body can block RF radiation from outside the car. This can create less cellular reception inside the car, which means that your cellphone (if you have one and use it in the car) might transmit higher levels of RF radiation(compared to the level it may produce outside the car). In addition some of whatever RF Radiation that will be produced by the cell phone, or other wireless devices inside the car, will be reflected from the metal body back to the inside of the car. 

Using cellphones while in the car

If you need to use a mobile phone to make calls during driving the car, we recommend the use of a built-in car phone with an external RF antenna. This is the best safest way to communicate while driving, both from the driving safety point of view and the RF exposure perspectives.

In case that you don’t have a built-in car phone, the next best option is to attach the mobile phone next to the front window (if the window is not coated with aluminum-metal based transparent film) which will allow better reception and usually less emission and use the speakerphone option.
The worse thing is to use the phone while driving, holding it in the hand(a major driving safety issue) or putting it in a low position inside the cabin(might emit more RF Radiation).

The use of a Bluetooth wireless hand-free kit will free your hands to drive but will create more RF inside the car.

Please note that in general, we don’t recommend the use of wireless devices or smartphones inside the car.
In general, we don’t recommend the use of a cell phone to talk while driving (driving safety issue).

EMF radiation from sources outside the car

1. Cellphone antennas on the sides of the roads – because of the heavy use in mobile phones in cars and in public transportation, we see more and more cellular towers alongside the roads. The radiation emitted from these cellular towers makes its way into your car. Some people will feel this radiation (Mid-level EHS) and will suffer from headaches and other symptoms while driving or being in a car.
   
   
2. Applying RF Blocking windows’ films over the car’s windows (subjected to the laws of your country) may help EHS people to drive and use cars with less pain(as long as there is not RF from inside the car). For EHS people, the use of RF Protection Hats and Clothes for EHS people might also help to some extent.
   
   
3. ELF EMF from power lines on the sides and across the road – Most Mid-level EHS people will feel it as well, but in this case, there is very little one can do.

Please see also how to reduce EMF in cars – https://www.norad4u.com/emf-exposure-reduction/minimizing-exposure-in-your-car/