THE REGULATED AUTOMOBILE

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS OF THE REGULATORY PROCESS ARE DISCUSSED AND MEANS OF STRENGTHENING PRIVATE SECTOR INSTITUTIONS WHICH MIGHT BETTER SERVE CONSUMERS ARE SUGGESTED. THE AUTOMOTIVE EMISSION STANDARDS SET BY CONGRESS MAY NOT BE COST EFFECTIVE SINCE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DECIMAL SYSTEM AND AN ABATEMENT STRATEGY IS OBSCURE. THE COST TO THE CONSUMER (ESTIMATED BY THE AUTOMOTIVE COMPANIES AND THE REGULATORY AGENCIES) OF THE VARIOUS STANDARDS WHICH WILL BE EFFECTIVE BY 1976 ARE TABULATED. TABLES REPRESENTING THE COST BENEFITS OF VARIOUS SAFETY REGULATIONS AND THE COST-BENEFIT SITUATION IN THE AUTOMOTIVE EMISSION AREA ARE PRESENTED. THE OBSERVATION IS MADE THAT SOLUTION TO A SAFETY OBJECTIVE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THROUGH A MANDATED NEW TECHNOLOGY. INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES SUCH AS ENFORCEMENT OF SEAT BELT USAGE MAY BE MORE COST- BENEFICIAL TO THE CONSUMER. EXCESS OF CONTROL COSTS OVER BENEFITS (COSTS OF POLLUTION DAMAGES SAVED) FOR THE CONVERSION DECADE WILL AVERAGE $6.3 BILLION. QUESTIONS ARE RAISED CONCERNING THE PROGRAM OF MOBILE SOURCE EMISSION CONTROL. IN ADDITION TO THE UNFAVORABLE COST/BENEFIT RATIO, THE ANALYSIS REVEALS MAJOR CONCEPTUAL DIFFICULTIES AND DATA DEFICIENCIES CONCERNING RELATIVE HEALTH DAMAGES CAUSED BY DIFFERENT AIR POLLUTANTS. MODIFICATION OF THE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY AND AUTOMOTIVE EMISSION STANDARDS IS URGED BY EXPERTS. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE REGULATORY PROCESS AND LONG RANGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE, CONTINUAL SCIENTIFIC REVIEWAL OF REGULATORY ACTIONS; AN INFORMED POLITICAL PROCESS; AND THE FORMATION OF A BOARD (REPRESENTING MANUFACTURERS, USERS, URBANISTS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, TECHNICIANS AND CONGRESSMEN) WHICH COULD DIRECT A PRIVATE-SECTOR ORGANIZATION TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES. THE COST TO PERFORM THESE FUNCTIONS AND THE PROVISION OF FUNDS ARE ALSO DISCUSSED.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 70TH ANN MEETING
• Corporate Authors:

  American Automobile Association

  1440 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 200
  Washington, DC  United States  20005
• Authors:
  • Goldmuntz, L A
• Publication Date: 1972-9-12

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: 9 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Automobiles; Benefit cost analysis; Consumers; Costs; Manual safety belts; Regulations; Safety; Standards
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost data
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224231
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 17 1973 12:00AM