“Today is the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen. We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said, launching the most far-reaching deregulation measures ever put into effect in America. That is the aggressive self-proclaimed crusading policy the Trump administration has taken on to roll back regulations, especially environmental ones. Among the latest victims is stop-start technology, which automatically turns car engines off at red lights, a feature once touted as gas and emission saving. The feature, once hailed as being environmentally friendly in intent, is also on death row in the United States as part of a drive for deregulation.
Toyota first introduced stop-start technology in the 1970s, and now new cars have it as a standard fit, especially on the European and Asian continents. The cars turn off a car engine when parked and turn the engine on when the driver wants to drive away. The technology has been reported to conserve fuel by up to 26.4 percent for city driving, SAE International says. But along with this advantage, there are also detractors of the system, and most of these drivers who have utilized the system have grumbled that they found the system infuriating and turned it off.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been regularly pushing motor makers for years to install stop-start systems, and what that translates into is vehicles with the technology enjoying improved fuel economy ratings. But as witnessed in recent social media updates from Lee Zeldin on platform X, policy is changing and the administration is keen to flip the rules in favor of the technology. Zeldin’s action is part of President Trump’s larger deregulatory push, one that has been criticized as kindling the climate crisis and sabotaging public health, the Climate Action Campaign contends.
The ramifications of this wave of deregulation reach far beyond stop-start. The decisions of the EPA can mark the start of the automotive industry’s golden age of regulatory uncertainty, a client note from Gibson Dunn alert. The agency’s evaluation of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding and associated regulations can also influence light- and heavy-duty motor vehicle emissions regulations. By doing this, stakeholders in the industry would be afforded an opportunity to shape policy to come by engaging in future rulemaking proceedings.
The possible roll-back of stop-start technology is only part of a larger tale of deregulation that involves re-taking a look at regulation of oil and natural gas drilling, auto emissions standards, and power plants. The actions are to lower American family cost of living and revive the American car industry, according to an EPA press release. They also act as a caution on long-term implications regarding climate change and public health.
Since the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, the auto sector should remain adaptive to be able to absorb compliance needs during periods of uncertainty. All stakeholders in the sector are invited to take part in the EPA rulemaking process and ensure that a regulatory system can be found that has the ability to weigh nature against the economy. Months down the line will indicate whether the industry and policy makers will attempt to deconstruct the effects of the deregulatory measures and how they will be in a position to affect emissions technology and environmental policy.
