Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf
Those regulations aren't carved in stone. Maybe if enough people stopped whining about the high cost of gas (as if $4/gal was high), and started insisting on better fuel economy, we could get some of the stupidity changed. Just for instance, why should a car company have to go through two different sets of testing, European and US, on a car? Adopt common standards, and Ford & GM could have their economical European models on a boat the next day - then start retooling their US factories.
|
People are insisting on better fuel economy by their change in buying habits. The problem is the vehicles available for purchase were designed and planned 2 or more years ago. Here comes the new Camaro!
You are obviously expecting Washington to roll over and accept the European standards. I can hear it now: "We can't let some trans-continental govt in Europe tell us what to do!" Pipe dream. It took 8 years of lobbying to get the rule changed allowing non-sealed beam headlights! I can't see 2 very entrenched cabinet departments (DOT and EPA) just saying okay, whatever. There would have to be international meetings with give and take on both sides. It would take years.
For real improvements from Detroit we'll have to look to 2011 and beyond. For now they'll just have to tread water. Then fuel will get less expensive again and the pendulum will slowly swing back. We've seen it before.
In another thread I predicted that 10-15 years from now Americans will be driving 400 HP electric Hummers, because there is something in the American psyche that makes us want that kind of thing.
