US may scrap stop-start system for cars
The US authorities are considering cancelling the common "stop-start" technology, which automatically switches off a car's engine when it stops, for example, at traffic lights or in a traffic jam.
Here's What We Know
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lee Zeldin wrote on social network X that everyone hates it when the engine stalls at every traffic light, "so that the carmaker gets a climate diploma". So the agency intends to cancel the previously approved technology.
The announcement followed US President Donald Trump's January executive order requiring federal agencies to remove a minimum of 10 old regulations for every new one, reinforcing the drive to deregulate the economy.
The stop-start system was developed by the Toyota Corporation in the 1970s and then spread worldwide as a way to save fuel and reduce CO₂ emissions. In some countries, cars with this system receive better environmental ratings and meet stricter emission requirements.
The way it works is as follows: when the car is stopped, the engine is automatically switched off. As soon as the driver depresses the clutch pedal on manual transmission models or releases the brake on automatic transmission cars, the engine restarts. Despite the potential environmental benefits, the technology has drawn mixed reactions among drivers, many of whom find it inconvenient or annoying.
If the EPA does revise regulations, manufacturers in the U.S. may stop installing these systems as standard equipment, especially amid a general policy of easing climate restrictions.
Source: TheTelegraph
