Safety Last
With Congress looking at raising fuel economy standards, the auto industry is suddenly concerned about safety.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is running radio spots in at least 10 states that suggests new regulations will endanger motorists by forcing automakers to produce smaller, more vulnerable cars. But a new report authored by experts from the national laboratories say the issue is a red herring. According to the authors: "The public, automakers, and policymakers have long worried about trade-offs between increased fuel economy in motor vehicles and safety. The conclusion of a broad group of experts is that no trade-off is required."
It's worth remembering that more than 12,000 people died in SUV rollover accidents over a ten-year period in which the industry did little to remedy the issue and instead focused public attention on defective Firestone tires that led to a mere 300 deaths.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is running radio spots in at least 10 states that suggests new regulations will endanger motorists by forcing automakers to produce smaller, more vulnerable cars. But a new report authored by experts from the national laboratories say the issue is a red herring. According to the authors: "The public, automakers, and policymakers have long worried about trade-offs between increased fuel economy in motor vehicles and safety. The conclusion of a broad group of experts is that no trade-off is required."
It's worth remembering that more than 12,000 people died in SUV rollover accidents over a ten-year period in which the industry did little to remedy the issue and instead focused public attention on defective Firestone tires that led to a mere 300 deaths.
5 Comments:
I see what your trying to say here but please be more careful with your wording. The mere 300 familes that lost loved ones due to Firestone tires probably don't take those deaths as lightly. Also the mere 3,500 soilders who lost their lives in Iraq doesn't come close to the number of soilders lost in earlier wars but that doesn't make it any eaiser for their families or this country to deal with. Mere is just a poor choice of wording I'm sure. -
The AAM seems to be pushing for the production of larger and larger vechicles feeding into the idea that bigger is safer which is a shame. I can't wait to see what comes out to keep us safe from all the Hummers on the road.
Point taken. Thanks for commenting.
Since when does a car needing a larger gas tank make it safer? If they used more efficient engine technology, cars could stay at the same size weight they are now and get better millage. And have they looked into strong lighter-weight materials?
I think you are right--this is definitely a red herring.
I pulled the below off the SUV Rollover site you linked. I think it sheds some light on the real issue nicely:
quote:
# What can be done to improve the stability of SUVs and make them less likely to roll over?
Engineers and safety experts have long agreed that the best way for manufacturers to make SUVs more stable (less likely to roll over) is to lower the center of gravity and widen the wheel track. However, such fundamental changes to an SUV's design are costly, and automakers have often chosen less expensive (and less effective) design modifications.
it's Detroit's own funeral ... and the UAW's too.
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