Celebrity/Rev G/March 2003
www.pridemobility.com
15
I I I . E M I / R F I
EMI/RFI WARNINGS
Laboratory tests performed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have shown that radio waves can cause
unintended motion of electric mobility vehicles. Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic energy (EM). When
electromagnetic energy adversely affects the operation of an electrical device, that adverse effect is called
Electro-
magnetic Interference (EMI)
or
Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
.
EMI/RFI FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
The following FAQs summarize what you should kn
ow about EMI/RFI. Use this information to minimize the risk
that EMI/RFI will adversely affect your mobility vehicle.
Where do radio waves come from?
Radio waves are emitted from the antennas of cellular phones, mobile two-way radios (such as walkie-talkies and
CBs), radio stations, TV stations, amateur radio (HAM) transmitters, wireless computer links, microwave sources,
and paging transmitters. Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic energy (EM). EM is more intense closer to
transmitting antennas, which are sources of emission. The greater the transmission strength, the greater the concern
to electric mobility vehicle users.
If EMI/RFI affects my mobility vehicle, what kind of motion should I expect?
This is difficult to predict. The answer would depend on a number of factors:
n
The strength of the radio waves.
n
The construction of your particular mobility vehicle.
n
The location of your mobility vehicle (whether it is on the level ground or on an incline).
n
Whether or not your mobility vehicle is in motion.
The motion of any electric mobility vehicle affected by EMI/RFI can be erratic. The mobility vehicle may come to
a sudden stop or move in an uncontrolled manner. Also, it is possible for EMI/RFI to release the brakes of an
electric mobility vehicle. Some intense EMI/RFI can even damage the control system components of an electric
mobility vehicle.
Is there any way to know for certain whether or not radio waves are the cause of any unintended
mobility vehicle motion?
Unfortunately, EMI/RFI may be difficult to recognize, because the signals from radio sources are invisible and may
be intermittent. However, the FDA recommends that you report all incidents of unintended motion or unintended
brake release of your mobility vehicle to its manufacturer and, if possible, determine whether or not there was a
radio wave source nearby at the time of the incident.
One precaution you can take against unintended motion of your mobility vehicle is to make certain that you or
someone else is not the cause of the unintended motion.
n
Turn off your mobility vehicle by removing the key from the key switch when you are getting onto or off of your
mobility vehicle.
n
Never leave the key in the key switch of an unattended mobility vehicle.
n
By following these steps, you greatly reduce the risk of you or anyone else inadvertently bumping the throttle
control levers and causing the mobility vehicle to move unintentionally.
Has anyone been injured by the erratic, unintended motion of an electric mobility vehicle?
The FDA has reports of injuries that resulted from uncontrolled motion of electric mobility vehicles, but it is not
clear just how many of those injuries were actually caused by EMI/RFI.
