According to a number of urban myths, the growing fleet of hybrid cars is actually an evil force ready to inflict great harm to people with pacemakers, blind people, and anybody who dares to sit behind the wheel of a gas-electric vehicle. Here are the top five safety dangers supposedly posed by hybrids.
Soon after the introduction of gas-electric vehicles in 2000, hybrid shoppers and drivers started worrying about the potential negative health impacts from electromagnetic fields (EMFs). There are still no definitive answers to those worries.
As gas prices continue to rise, the size of American vehicles is starting to shrink. But does a shift to smaller cars require a compromise on safety?
Many of the eco-friendly innovations in our vehicles begin in the R&D departments of large auto suppliers. We spoke with Bill Kozyra, president and CEO, Continental Automotive Systems North America, about what he sees as the three largest trends in automotive technology: sustainability, safety and connectivity. Kozyra also says that the Chevy Volt is on track for production in 2009.
Tesla Motors side-stepped disaster by winning a federal waiver allowing its all-electric Roadster to be produced without advanced occupant-sensing airbags. If the waiver had not been granted, the carmaker might have been forced out of business.
Hybrids are very quiet—practically silent at slower speeds. Blind people rely on cars to make at least a little noise to safely cross the street. That awkward combination has created an unexpected tension between the makers of hybrid cars, environmentalists and blind pedestrians.
Should you be concerned about excess EMF exposure in a hybrid? Nobody knows for sure.
Knowing a few basic things about hybrids should be enough to help first responders save lives and remain safe in the process.
The fact that hybrids run on electricity as well as gas has no bearing on their safety. The safety question does come into focus for drivers considering a switch from a larger vehicle to a smaller more efficient car.
