Found out a single EMP could fry 70% of unprepared vehicles within a 5 mile radius

Was reading a DHS report from 2019 and it said a high-altitude nuke going off could knock out every car without hardened electronics. That's basically everyone driving a Toyota or Honda from the last 20 years. How are you protecting your rig without spending $3k on a faraday cage?

3 comments

3 Comments

jesser7910d ago

Actually that DHS report from 2019 is a little outdated. The EMP Commission study from 2004 and later tests showed that even older cars with electronic fuel injection can get fried. But modern ones from 2010 onward have way more shielding built in because of all the computer modules. Toyota actually started hardening their ECU housings back in 2012 after some internal testing. Honda did similar stuff around 2015. So its not 70% of vehicles in a 5 mile radius its more like 30-40% depending on the age mix. The really scary part is the grid and generators not the cars themselves. Most cars will stall out but a lot will restart after the pulse passes if the battery wasnt completely dead. Still a good idea to keep a spare ECU in a metal ammo can for your rig though.

adam_lewis9d ago

Throw the whole grid in a faraday bag am I right.

grantadams9d ago

Where exactly did you see that Toyota started hardening ECUs in 2012? I've been looking for actual documentation on that and all I can find is forum speculation and a couple of anecdotal blog posts. DHS and EMP Commission reports talk about general trends but never name specific manufacturers or model years. If Toyota actually did that, there has to be a press release or a technical bulletin someone could link. Same with the Honda stuff around 2015. Would make a big difference for people trying to figure out which used cars to target for a prepper rig. Without a source it just sounds like internet hearsay. Not saying you're wrong, just want something solid to go on.