Legislation without knowledge is dangerous, but not half as bad as legislation and regulation with a little knowledge. This is the condition we are now suffering through when it comes to the interference of government in the design of the modern vehicle.
We have seen this already in the heavy duty truck industry. In the past ten years, diesel engines have become very clean burning engines. In spite of this fact, government regulations in 2010 required heavy duty diesels to be equipped with a system called Bluetech. This system injects a urea based liquid into the exhaust stream to make the emissions still cleaner. The difference is not dramatic, but requires an additional fluid be maintained on the vehicle at a cost of roughly $5.00 a gallon.
As I previously stated, heavy duty diesels were already running remarkably clean. Cummins won an Automotive News Pace Award for its clean burning design without the need for Bluetech. Caterpillar had developed possibly the finest emissions system in the world and even cured some of the detriments of emissions systems on engine life.
Once the government shoved Bluetech down everyone’s throat, Caterpillar decided to no longer produce engines for on-highway use. In the end, when regulations push engine makers to the point of leaving the industry, the total emissions picture has decayed rather than improved.
Emission standards and fuel economy regulations are doing the same to cars. By the late 1990’s cars were burning almost as clean as they do today without the potential danger of some “innovations” like drive by wire throttles.
Fuel economy standards have become a numbers game that offers no real improvement or solution. We pay more for cars thinking we will get better mileage, but the government allows the cover all cause that “your mileage may vary”
If the government leaves the industry alone, a real solution will develop through free market and consumer demands.
Please Uncle Sam, keep us safe, but leave our cars alone.
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