Anyone here going to watch Revolution?

FredHayek wrote: The cars will keep running in most nuclear EMP scenarios, but the big concern is the already overloaded electrical grid. Currently utilities have only enough transformers to replace the usual failure rate with long lead times from factories dependent on electricity to build new units. Current long lead times to get electricity restored to storm ravaged areas would go up if utility crews needed to restore the whole nation at once.

Cars may run but fuel will run out fast. Road Warrior senario could be fun!

Good point about the fuel. Hand pump it out of tanks? Or use it all running generators.

Gee, folks...It's a FICTIONAL TV SHOW... (Hint: James Bond doesn't really carry a jet back-pack in the trunk of his Aston Martin...)

Something the Dog Said wrote: There actually was a study on the effect of EMP on running vehicles.



Automobiles

The potential EMP vulnerability of automobiles derives from the use of built-in electronics that support multiple automotive functions. Electronic components were first introduced into automobiles in the late 1960s. As time passed and electronics technologies evolved, electronic applications in automobiles proliferated. Modern automobiles have as many as 100 microprocessors that control virtually all functions. While electronic applications have proliferated within automobiles, so too have application standards and electromagnetic interference and electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) practices. Thus, while it might be expected that increased EMP vulnerability would accompany the proliferated electronics applications, this trend, at least in part, is mitigated by the increased application of EMI/EMC practices.

We tested a sample of 37 cars in an EMP simulation laboratory, with automobile vintages ranging from 1986 through 2002. Automobiles of these vintages include extensive electronics and represent a significant fraction of automobiles on the road today. The testing was conducted by exposing running and nonrunning automobiles to sequentially increasing EMP field intensities. If anomalous response (either temporary or permanent) was observed, the testing of that particular automobile was stopped. If no anomalous response was observed, the testing was continued up to the field intensity limits of the simulation capability (approximately 50 kV/m).

Automobiles were subjected to EMP environments under both engine turned off and engine turned on conditions. No effects were subsequently observed in those automobiles that were not turned on during EMP exposure. The most serious effect observed on running automobiles was that the motors in three cars stopped at field strengths of approximately 30 kV/m or above. In an actual EMP exposure, these vehicles would glide to a stop and require the driver to restart them. Electronics in the dashboard of one automobile were damaged and required repair. Other effects were relatively . Twenty-five automobiles exhibited malfunctions that could be considered only a nuisance (e.g., blinking dashboard lights) and did not require driver intervention to correct. Eight of the 37 cars tested did not exhibit any anomalous response.

Based on these test results, we expect few automobile effects at EMP field levels below 25 kV/m. Approximately 10 percent or more of the automobiles exposed to higher field levels may experience serious EMP effects, including engine stall, that require driver intervention to correct. We further expect that at least two out of three automobiles on the road will manifest some nuisance response at these higher field levels. The serious malfunctions could trigger car crashes on U.S. highways; the nuisance malfunctions could exacerbate this condition. The ultimate result of automobile EMP exposure could be triggered crashes that damage many more vehicles than are damaged by the EMP, the consequent loss of life, and multiple injuries.

http://www.futurescience.com/emp/vehicles.html

Thanks a lot for posting that article, I've done some of that kind of testing and it was interesting reading. Latch up on electronics is a big headache, it happens with ESD too. My garage door opener circuit is flaky, with close lightning strikes the light turns on, but at least the door stays closed. LOL Lightning EMP

The Hollywood movies exaggerate this stuff though. IMO

EMP, who needs EMPs.

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BTW, the first episodes of Revolution and Last Resort are already on Hulu Plus.

The hoakiest thing about Revolution was the jetliners spinning on their horizontal axis into the ground, like boomerangs. The Swordfight where one killed 16 guys also unbelievable. And third, their clothes were not worn or in shreds, like they were brand new.

Of the two, Last Resort was by far the best.