Is your car a natural Faraday cage?

Question

Let's say an strong electromagnetic pulse (e-bomb) was the payload of a missile detonated in the atmosphere above your car. Will the internal electronic equipment of your car continue to function properly?

Answer 1

Mine wouldn't , it would certainly burn-out. The windows and gaps under the front end are big enough to let the high-frequency (microwave and above) part of the pulse couple through to the wiring looms and a significant part of the coachwork is actually plastic panelling. Even where I have separate metal sheets forming part of the enclosure (like the door panels) the electrical bonds to the rest of the shell aren't designed to provide a really good faraday shield at even VHF.

Answer 2

Yes and no.

Yes it certainly is more or less a Faaday cage, and you certainly can't get a shock from say lightening while sitting in it.

But no, it is not perfect because it has gaps - like windows - that would let some frequencies in.

The likelihood is that some electronics would carry on just fine, while others would not.

In any case, most of the elecronics is not critical to your car, and an EMP does not cause permanent damage in general except to flash memory.

Answer 3

well firstly cars arent natural.

secondly they arent a complete faraday cage as such. if u were to test the levels of such interferance in your car and outside there would be a mild difference, but not enough to stop the effects of the emp blast. I dont think a faraday cage would help much either to be honest

Answer 4

No. Your auto's electrical and electronic systems would be damaged. You might also notice mushroom clouds on the horizon, due to nuclear weapons exploding. You might want to consider being somewhere else if this occurs.