Are Cars With Heated Seats an EMF Danger?

Heated car seats are definitely a plus when the weather is cold. But are cars with heated seats an EMF danger? Let’s take a look at how they work, and what the dangers are – if any.

How Heated Car Seats Work

Much like hairdryers, electric blankets, and water heaters, heated car seats use the same technology. They produce heat through electricity. There are a few components that make this possible:

• Relay switch
• Resistor
• Thermostat

The resistor is what provides the power to your heated seat. The relay switch is what is used to operate everything. For example, when turned on, an electrical current goes through a coil. This creates a magnetic field that pulls an open switch close to this coil. Once that is closed it finishes a circuit. And this creates the electricity that goes to the heating element. The thermostat is like any other. Once the seats reach a certain temperature, the heat switches off so you’re not too hot.

What About EMF Radiation?

There are three worries when it comes to heated seats and EMF radiation:

1. Dirty electricity
2. Magnetic field
3. Electric Field

An electric field is part of the current running through the resistant wire.

Heated seats create a magnetic field, especially those in hybrid vehicles. This is because it needs to be strong enough to work the switch and you’ll find more of a magnetic field around your feet.

Dirty electricity is not a good thing. According to the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology:

Environmental exposure to high-frequency voltage transients (HFVT), also termed dirty electricity, has been advocated among electro(hyper)sensitive interest groups as an important biological active component of standard electromagnetic pollution.

The electrical current used in heated seats creates this dirty electricity while it is producing heat.

Also Read: Low EMF Cars

What’s the Verdict?

Alone, heated seats aren’t a major threat. Yet, cars have other variables that create a non-friendly environment. This includes electronics, which emit EMF radiation on their own. Combined with heated seats, there is more exposure to the driver and passengers.

While heated seats were once a luxury, more cars have them now. It’s up to you to decide if the threat is something you want to bypass – even on cold, winter days and nights.