An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) event is so terrifying because it would take out all unprotected electronics. This includes almost all modern ground vehicles, as their engines are now controlled by fragile computers. An article in Ask A Prepper shows how you can protect your car or truck against the destructive effect of an electromagnetic pulse.
The first thing to determine is the year when your car is built. Vehicles that predate the 1970s do not have computers managing their engines. These old vehicles are therefore safe from EMP attack.
For everyone else who does not enjoy the luxury of a working vintage vehicle, there are ways of shielding the computers of a modern car from the E1 and E2 pulses of EMP. These pulses cause a powerful electric surge that destroys sensitive electronics.
EMP cannot travel through metal. While the metal body of a car protects the electronics, E1 and E2 energy can still enter through the windshield and reach the computer. (Related: An EMP attack can be initiated from multiple sources: Tips on how to prepare.)
Get replacement parts for your electronics
The first and simplest option is to replace any electronics that get destroyed. Buy spares of the car's computer and other important electronic parts, such as the sensors.
After the EMP attack, swap out the destroyed electronics with the spares. In a short while, you should have your car back in working order.
Remember to store the spare equipment in a Faraday cage. Otherwise, your spares will also be destroyed by the pulse.
It would also be good to keep these pieces of equipment inside your car in case the EMP attack takes places while you are driving.
Build an EMP-proof garage
The second strategy you can adopt is to store your vehicle in an enclosure that is proofed against EMP. This requires the construction of a Faraday Cage that is big enough to hold your car.
The aforementioned cage is a fully-enclosed container that is made of metal. It should completely surround the electronic device it is protecting. If it is a structure, the ground does not need to be made of metal.
Furthermore, the inside of the Faraday cage must be insulated. The electronic device inside it must not touch the metal of the cage.
Building a garage-sized Faraday Cage is easy. Construct an all-metal building that is big enough to accommodate your vehicle.
When you park your vehicle inside this garage, make sure that it is not touching the walls or door. Always keep the doors closed. The rubber wheels will insulate your vehicle from the ground.
Turn your car into a mobile Faraday Cage
The final option is to turn your car into a Faraday Cage. This calls for blocking off the windshield and any non-metallic parts with metal.
Most metal materials will obscure the windshield, preventing you from driving your car safely. But there is a way to get around this problem.
Chicken wire, remesh, and welded wire cloth are made of metal. They will, therefore, attract and block EMP.
At the same time, these materials are perforated, so you can see through them. So you block off the non-metal parts of your car with a screen made of these materials.
Connect these screens to the metal body of the vehicle in order to ground it. Now your car is a rolling Faraday Cage, ready to travel the roads even after – or during – an EMP attack that shuts down all other vehicles.
Finding out more about EMP attacks will help you prepare for them, so visit EMP.news to read up on them.
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