THE REGULATED AUTOMOBILE. PT. 2: SAFETY AND FUEL-ECONOMY REGULATIONS

Background is presented on the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, followed by a discussion of the adversary relationship between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the auto industry concerning specific motor vehicle regulations: Standard 581, an impact protection requirement for car bumpers; Standard 208, passive restraint requirements (air bags and automatic seat belt systems); and CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards (including Environmental Protection Agency mpg certification testing). The status of Volkswagen of America, Honda, Volvo, and BMW in meeting the 1985 CAFE standard of 27.5 mpg is mentioned, as well as the uncertain future of the diesel because of upcoming particulate standards. A continued program of fuel economy standards after 1985 is addressed. It is concluded that regulation of the automobile needs to be studied in realistic terms, taking into account the energy situation, inflation, the impact of multiple regulations on the market system, and the actual performance of theoretically attractive devices and their cost. For the 1980's, a willingness on the part of legislators and regulators to admit errors and correct them and on the part of the industry to innovate are seen as essential.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00357189
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Part 1 is HS-030 333.
• Corporate Authors:

  CBS Consumer Publishing West

  1499 Monrovia Avenue
  Newport Beach, CA  United States  92663
• Authors:
  • Wakefield, R
• Publication Date: 1980-6

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 72-81
• Serial:
  • Road and Track
  • Volume: 31
  • Issue Number: 10
  • Publisher: DCI, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0035-7189

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile industry; Automobiles; Bumpers; Fuel conservation; Passive restraint systems; Regulations; Vehicle safety
• Identifier Terms: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
• Old TRIS Terms: Vehicular safety
• Subject Areas: Energy; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00390530
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-029 912
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 30 1984 12:00AM