[Boatanchors] Off Topic...?? possible RF interference with automotive electronics

[Ian]

Yes, this is off topic I guess but I can't think of a list that I subscribe
to with a wider range of people with lots of hands on experience with RF.
Perhaps somebody can suggest other lists that are more pertinent.

I remember when I had an American Motors Rambler station wagon and my 25
watt 2 meter rig would cause a significant drop in engine speed when I
transmitter.  I think most of the problem was with RF causing interference
with the cruise control.

I remember though that some later car manuals cautioned against certain
placement of transmitters in some areas of the cab to prevent interaction
with the computer controlling engine functions.  One of which was on the
passenger side of the firewall.

With all the TOYOTA "drive by wire" systems... steering, fuel injection
control replacing mechanical linkages, braking and the like reportedly
experiencing problems which the manufacturer claims are NOT electronic and a
few who have had problems report symptoms that might well be electronic to
my way of thinking.  I wonder what those of us who "dabble" in electronics
or work in it as a job think?

I recall building instrumentation in the early 1960s using off the shelf
logic boards using circuitry mixing discrete components that today would be
a small part of a miniscule integrated circuit.   I was using selectable
digital timing in the same custom designed metal desktop cabinet as fast
rising 5KW pulse generators using high voltage switches and a coaxial charge
line that produced the output of the system.   There were definite problems
with those several nanosecond risetime electro magnet pulses causing
problemns with the digital low voltage circuits.  I had to solve that
problem with several late nights that also produced all too many "paper"
cuts to my hands from the sheets of thin mu metal that I cut with scissors
from rolls of mu metal to shield things and which I had to solder into boxes
several places.  

I keep expecting to see some mention of possible RF/electromagnetic
interference with automotive electronics...

I wonder if some of the strange behaviors reporting are from driving near
some high power Radar, TV, FM, communications or even AM transmitters???
(Maybe even from the "good buddy" in the 16 wheeler with a 3KW PILL
amplifier on his CB generating a broad spectrum of interference as the
automobile passed by the truck???)  That type of interference could explain
the seeming inability of Toyota engineers to admit to being able to
replicate the problems, assuming that we are being told the whole story.
Some of those individuals anomalous operation of their automobile, seem to
be credible individuals who did NOT accidentally step on the accelerator
thinking it to be the brake or the gas pedal thinking it was the brake...

Does anybody have any information about shielding and packaging and
protection of those potentially troublesome computer packages in automotive
products???  I'm wondering how many of them are protected from external high
powered electromagnetic interference???

Has anybody else been wondering about this or have any specific information
about how well protected those systems are from external Electro Magnetic
radiation?

Maybe the highway patrol should vehicles should be outfitted with high power
spark gap transmitters to disable cars during high speed chases??  :-(

What are your thoughts?

Ian, K6SDE