So I was telling my mom about my new HCH purchase... and she mentioned that because she has a pacemaker, it might not be a good idea for her to ride in it (?) Has anyone heard anything similar?

No, and it shouldn't be a problem. As I recall that was one of the more absurd hybrid myths way back when they were new.

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I am not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV.

When microwave ovens started gaining popularity in resturants, signs would be posted at the front door stating a microwave is in use in this establisment. I haven't seen one of those signs for years although virutally all such places have them installed. Is the pacemaker/hybrid thing a simlar unfounded concern? I don't recall seeing any warnings for pacemakers when getting onto Bart or other electrically motivated transit system. I have seen them at metal detectors in airports. Toyota also warns about the spiffy keyless system which I have come to love dearly.

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There are two hazards for pacemakers: radio frequency/strong time varying fields can induce currents in the wires within the heart and lead to defribrillation, and strong static (or sometimes low frequency) fields can set off magnetic switches that are often included in the pacemaker unit for testing (i.e.: so a doctor can turn off the pacemaker to observe the heart's unassisted rhythm). Of the two, the first is much more life-threatening, but is very immediate. The second is not as dangerous (because even with the pacemaker off, the heart generally keeps beating), but can also not show any problems until later, when you might not expect it...

Induced currents are a danger with leaky microwave ovens, and a host of other situations (like standing inside the radome at your local air force base), but shouldn't be a concern with any hybrid car (or at least, not related to the hybrid drivetrain).

Switching the pacemaker off is usually the hazard people are concerned about with hybrid cars due to the DC currents and motor/generators. You can get a relatively cheap DC meter to check yourself if you like, but every place in the passenger compartment (or at the very least, every place you could get your chest into) should be completely safe (the safety limit is 5 G) -- if it wasn't, you could bet the lawyers would have slapped a safety warning sticker on there... Now, if your mom was going to help you take the car apart and held the motor-generator up to her chest, that would be a totally different story...

5 G? Isn't 1 G the acceleration due to gravity?

The G he is referring to is the Gauss, a unit of magnetic field strength.

My dad had a pacemaker put in as I was shopping for my TCH. I taked to his cardiologist and the maker of the device. They said that simply riding in the car is not a problem, but the pacemaker should stay more that 24" away from the motor. This really bugged my dad...he is a retired mechanic and LOVES to lean over engines to check them out.

Tell your mom she'lllook gorgeous if she will use that car.



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Toyota warns that people who have pacemakers should not ride in the Hybrid Camry due the Smart Key system- not necessarily because of the hybrid system. The system uses radio waves that apparently can interfere with pacemakers. (Although I thought that all keyless entry systems used radio frequencies) I guess the Smart Key system uses a different kind.

Hi,
If you have it handy, can you share the source?

Bob Wilson

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