Do Car Manufacturers Have to Follow Magnetic Field Exposure Standards?

Electric and hybrid cars are disrupting our mobility and providing a more environmentally friendly and economical vehicle alternative. But such cars also raise concerns about safety, and the magnetic fields they create.

So are car manufacturers supposed to adhere to specific guidelines or standards on how to protect you from these invisible forces? Let’s see what’s going on, and what that means for you.

Are There Standards to Limit Exposure to These Fields in Cars?

Here’s the easy answer: there are no global mandatory regulations yet. There is no legal requirement for automakers to limit magnetic field exposure in their cars. But that is under the process of change.

In 2022, the European Union’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) commissioned a report calling for a strict regulatory framework. Why? Without regulations, some suppliers could dispense with passenger safety in favor of savings. The JRC thinks standards will be key to ensure safety when it comes to EVs.

Why Are Standards Important?

Consider walking into the grocery store and observing the nutritional information on foods. Such labels allow you to sort out the products and make healthier decisions. The same would apply for magnetometers in automobiles, which consumers can then use to compare cars. These measurements could become a kind of “safety label” that indicates how much magnetic exposure you will have in one vehicle compared to another.

Without these standards, it would be harder to tell if a car is built with your safety in mind, EMF-wise. There are new guidelines being written to compensate for this. These steps demonstrate how to determine the correct magnetic field measurements in cars to help us compare models.

Why Should You Care?

Magnetic fields, and particularly those of electric systems, are also under investigation for their effects on health. Even the WHO classifies very low-frequency magnetic fields (such as those inside automobiles) as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” That doesn’t make them cancer-causing with absolute certainty, but enough to warrant extra protection.

While there are no mandatory standards yet, there are EMF exposure benchmarks that some countries are starting to adopt, such as China with its Green Car NCAP.

With more and more electric and hybrid vehicles, we are exposed to such fields. Standards and regulations can make sure that safety doesn’t become a sideline in this technological transformation.

So What Can We Do For Now?

If you’re worried about magnetic fields in vehicles, these are a few straightforward procedures you can try, and you don’t need to be an engineer to implement any of them:

• Position yourself farther away from the motor and battery to minimize the risk.
• If possible, don’t sit in the car while it’s hooked up to the charger.
• Protect yourself with shielding products like SafeFields.

What’s Next? A Call for More Awareness

There’s no question that car makers and regulators must do more to tackle magnetic field exposure. Until there are rules, consumers must demand information, make inquiries, and be prepared to make informed decisions.

As for now, the best action to take is to avoid or minimize our exposure to these magnetic fields.