8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Brain & Nervous System

Effect of Static Magnetic Field of Electric Vehicles on Driving Performance and on Neuro-Psychological Cognitive Functions

Bioeffects Seen

Authors not listed · 2019

Share:

Electric vehicle magnetic fields at 350 μT showed no significant impact on driving performance in this small study.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether the static magnetic field (350 μT) from electric vehicles affects driving performance and brain function in 17 student volunteers. They found no significant impact on driving ability or cognitive functions, though they detected a correlation between specific brain wave patterns and reaction times.

Why This Matters

This study addresses a practical concern as electric vehicles become mainstream: do the magnetic fields they generate affect driver safety? The 350 μT exposure level tested here is actually quite high compared to typical EV magnetic field measurements, which usually range from 2-50 μT depending on your position in the vehicle. While the researchers found no major effects on driving performance, the small sample size of 17 subjects and single-exposure design limit how broadly we can apply these findings. What's particularly relevant is that this study focused on static magnetic fields rather than the time-varying fields that EVs actually produce during acceleration and braking, which may have different biological effects. The reality is that we're conducting a massive real-world experiment as millions adopt EVs without comprehensive long-term safety data on occupational exposure levels for daily commuters.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2019). Effect of Static Magnetic Field of Electric Vehicles on Driving Performance and on Neuro-Psychological Cognitive Functions.
Show BibTeX
@article{effect_of_static_magnetic_field_of_electric_vehicles_on_driving_performance_and_on_neuro_psychological_cognitive_functions_ce4400,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Effect of Static Magnetic Field of Electric Vehicles on Driving Performance and on Neuro-Psychological Cognitive Functions},
  year = {2019},
  doi = {10.3390/ijerph16183382},
  
}
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16183382PubMed: 31547412

Quick Questions About This Study

This study found that 350 μT static magnetic fields from electric vehicles did not significantly impact driving performance or cognitive functions in 17 test subjects during controlled lane change tasks.
The researchers used 350 μT (microtesla) static magnetic fields, which is considerably higher than typical electric vehicle magnetic field levels that usually range from 2-50 μT depending on seating position.
EEG monitoring revealed a correlation between beta brain wave patterns and human reaction times, but no significant changes in overall cognitive function or driving performance were observed.
Only 17 student subjects participated in this single-blind experiment, which is a relatively small sample size for drawing broad conclusions about EV magnetic field safety.
The study used static magnetic fields, but real electric vehicles produce time-varying magnetic fields during acceleration and braking, which may have different biological effects than static exposure.