U.S. Government Seeks Evidence on Health Effects of EMF Radiation, Including Emerging Vehicle Exposures

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a federal initiative to collect scientific evidence and public information about the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF), radiofrequency (RF) radiation, and other forms of non-ionizing radiation, as announced by HHS on September 17, 2026.

The Request for Information (RFI), published in the Federal Register on September 21, 2026, aims to examine existing scientific findings, assess current exposure standards, identify research gaps, and consider whether additional public health recommendations may be needed.

Although the request places particular emphasis on wireless technologies, its scope also includes broader electromagnetic field exposure and emerging technologies, specifically mentioning autonomous vehicles.

This development is also relevant to electromagnetic field exposure inside modern cars. Electric vehicles (EVs), hybrids, and increasingly electronic conventional vehicles introduce new combinations of electrical systems and electromagnetic sources into an environment where drivers and passengers may spend considerable time.

The RFI does not specifically identify low-frequency magnetic fields from vehicle propulsion systems as a separate research priority. However, its broader questions about EMF exposure, cumulative exposure, measurement methods, and emerging technologies provide a basis for including vehicle-related evidence in the federal review.

What Is the U.S. Government Asking For?

The HHS initiative is intended to improve understanding of possible health effects associated with electromagnetic exposure and determine where additional scientific investigation may be necessary.

The RFI addresses several major areas:

1. Public experiences and reported health effects: This covers information about possible adverse health effects associated with EMF exposure, including observations from individuals, healthcare professionals, and researchers.
2. Exposure standards and risk assessment: Whether existing national and international guidelines adequately address different exposure conditions and potentially sensitive populations.
3. Exposure measurement: These are the methods for assessing actual human exposure, including simultaneous exposure to multiple sources and cumulative exposure over time.
4. Existing scientific evidence: Research on potential health effects, including those associated with exposure below current federal limits.
5. Federal research priorities: Identification of important knowledge gaps and areas requiring further scientific investigation.

HHS is requesting evidence from scientists, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, public health organizations, and members of the public.

This is a request for information and not a new regulation or a government conclusion that current exposure levels are harmful. The information received may help define future research priorities, recommendations, or regulatory discussions.

Public Experiences and Potential Health Effects

One of the first subjects addressed by the RFI is the collection of information about health effects that individuals believe may be associated with electromagnetic exposure.

HHS asks respondents to describe the sources involved, exposure duration, frequency, reported symptoms, and any available supporting measurements or medical information.

The agency also invites healthcare professionals and researchers to provide clinical observations that may help identify patterns requiring further examination.

These reports can help identify research questions. However, an individual’s experience does not, by itself, establish a causal relationship between electromagnetic exposure and a medical condition.

For vehicle exposure, this distinction is particularly important. Drivers and passengers may encounter different magnetic field levels depending on vehicle design, operating conditions, and seating position. Understanding these differences requires objective measurements rather than relying solely on reported experiences.

Exposure Standards and Risk Assessment

The main part of the RFI concerns the scientific basis of existing electromagnetic exposure limits.

HHS asks which national and international standards should be considered and whether additional research is needed to evaluate their effectiveness.

The request specifically raises questions about:

• Frequency
• Magnetic field strength
• Exposure duration
• Distance from the source
• Simultaneous exposure to multiple frequencies
• Cumulative exposure

These characteristics are also relevant to electromagnetic fields inside vehicles.

Low-frequency magnetic fields are generated by electrical currents flowing through components such as motors, power cables, and inverters. Radiofrequency fields can originate from wireless communication, navigation, and connectivity systems.

Different exposure guidelines apply to different frequency ranges and established biological effects.

For example, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection ICNIRP (2010) provides guidelines for limiting exposure to low-frequency electric and magnetic fields. These guidelines primarily address effects associated with acute and short-term  electromagnetic electric fields induced inside the body, including nerve stimulation. At the same time, WHO and many government institutions around the world are calling for “precautionary principle” much more stricter limits for chronic (prolonged) exposure.

Compliance with an existing exposure limit is an important technical finding, but it should not be confused with proof that every possible long-term health question has been resolved.

At the same time, exceeding a measurement value used in a scientific study does not automatically establish a health risk. The frequency, exposure conditions, measurement method, and applicable standard must all be considered.

Measuring Human Exposure Under Real-World Conditions

Another important section of the RFI concerns the methods used to measure electromagnetic exposure.

HHS asks whether existing assessment procedures adequately represent real-world conditions and what additional information should be disclosed to consumers.

This question has particular significance for modern vehicles.

Unlike many stationary electrical installations, a vehicle operates under continuously changing electrical conditions.

Magnetic field levels may change according to:

1. Driving conditions: Acceleration, regenerative braking, and steady-speed operation can produce different electrical current patterns.
2. Vehicle design: The positioning of batteries, electric motors, inverters, and high-current cables influences the distribution of magnetic fields.
3. Passenger location: Exposure may differ between the driver’s seat, front passenger seat, rear seats, and footwell areas.
4. Electrical equipment: Heating systems, climate control, and other electrically powered features may introduce additional magnetic field sources.

These differences make it difficult to characterize vehicle EMF exposure using only one measurement or one operating condition.

A report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre examined measurement methods and low-frequency magnetic fields in electrified vehicles during driving and charging (Trentadue, G., Zanni, M. and Martini, G. (2020)).

This study shows why standardized measurement procedures are important, particularly when comparing different vehicle models.

Sensitive Populations and Long-Term Exposure

The RFI also asks whether exposure assessment should account differently for potentially sensitive populations.

These include:

• Children
• Pregnant women
• Older adults
• People with implanted medical devices
• Workers experiencing increased occupational exposure

This question is relevant to passenger vehicles because individuals may spend extended periods inside them, including children travelling regularly between home, school, and other destinations.

The scientific evidence concerning long-term exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields remains an important area of investigation.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified extremely low-frequency magnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), primarily based on limited epidemiological evidence concerning childhood leukemia (IARC (2002)).

For people with pacemakers and other active medical implants, electromagnetic interference represents an additional issue. Such interference must be evaluated using device-specific compatibility standards, rather than relying exclusively on general public exposure limits.

Why EMF Exposure From Cars Deserves Attention

One significant aspect of the HHS request is its recognition of emerging technologies as potential contributors to cumulative electromagnetic exposure.

Under Question 13, the RFI explicitly identifies autonomous vehicles among the technologies for which additional scientific evidence is requested.

This reference primarily concerns cumulative exposure patterns associated with emerging technologies, particularly RF and wireless systems. It does not amount to an explicit commitment to investigate magnetic fields generated by electric vehicle propulsion systems.

However, modern vehicles contain both wireless communication equipment and electrical systems capable of producing low-frequency magnetic fields.

Vehicle EMF is therefore relevant to the wider discussion, even though the different sources require different assessment methods.

Magnetic fields are not entirely new to automobiles. Conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles also contain electrical equipment that produces electromagnetic fields.

What is changing is the electrical architecture of modern vehicles. High-power propulsion systems, battery management equipment, power electronics, advanced driver-assistance systems, and increasingly sophisticated wireless connectivity create additional exposure configurations.

The growing use of these technologies makes in-vehicle electromagnetic exposure an important subject for measurement and scientific evaluation.

A further consideration is that exposure cannot be generalized across an entire category of vehicles.

An electric vehicle does not necessarily expose passengers to stronger magnetic fields than a hybrid or conventional vehicle. Likewise, two electric vehicles from the same manufacturer may have considerably different exposure characteristics.

Reliable assessment requires model-specific measurements under defined operating conditions.

Federal Research Priorities and Possible Next Steps

The final sections of the RFI ask respondents to identify research gaps and recommend how federal agencies could improve coordination.

HHS specifically refers to potential roles for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For electromagnetic exposure in vehicles, potentially relevant research priorities include:

• Standardized in-cabin measurement procedures
• Improved characterization of exposure during different driving conditions
• Better information about long-term cumulative exposure

An additional question is whether consumers should have access to standardized vehicle EMF measurement results, similar to the information already available for crash safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle emissions.

The present RFI does not establish such a disclosure requirement. However, its questions concerning public information, exposure classification, and measurement practices provide an opportunity to examine whether additional transparency would be useful.

Comments on the RFI must be submitted by October 21, 2026, through the federal Regulations.gov docket HHS-OASH-2026-0397.

An Opportunity to Reassess EMF Exposure and Health Effects

The U.S. government’s Request for Information marks an important step toward improving scientific understanding of electromagnetic exposure and its potential health effects.

The initiative is broader than mobile phones and wireless infrastructure. It explicitly includes autonomous vehicles and invites scientific information concerning other forms of non-ionizing electromagnetic exposure.

Although the government has not announced a dedicated evaluation of low-frequency magnetic fields inside electric and hybrid vehicles, this exposure category fits several of the scientific and technical questions raised by the RFI.

Vehicle electromagnetic exposure deserves consideration as part of the changing technological environment, particularly where standardized measurements and long-term exposure data remain limited.

The important distinction is between identifying an exposure and establishing a health risk. Neither the presence of electromagnetic fields nor compliance with existing guidelines should be used as a substitute for a careful evaluation of the available evidence.

As additional measurement data and scientific findings become available, they may provide a better basis for evaluating vehicle EMF exposure and determining whether further research, consumer disclosure, or regulatory attention is necessary.

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2026). Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. Federal Register, 91 FR 59792, September 21, 2026
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2026). HHS Seeks Public Input on Electromagnetic Fields and Wireless Radiation. September 17, 2026
3. Trentadue, G., Zanni, M. and Martini, G. (2020). Assessment of Low Frequency Magnetic Fields in Electrified Vehicles. European Commission, Joint Research Centre
4. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (2002). Non-Ionizing Radiation, Part 1: Static and Extremely Low-Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields. IARC Monographs, Volume 80
5. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) (2010). Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric and Magnetic Fields (1 Hz to 100 kHz)