Anyone who operates a vehicle understands that cars have grown significantly more high-tech, particularly over the past ten years or so.
Many of the enhanced functionalities commonly seen in modern cars have become widely favored, such as rearview cameras that simplify parking and reduce serious collisions. Additionally, systems like CarPlay and Android Auto enable you to play music directly from your smartphone through your car’s audio system.
💵💰
Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to GAPTEKZONE’s free daily newsletter
💰💵
However, some other features have failed to win universal admiration. One such feature has become the focus of attention for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA has decided to discontinue this feature.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin used X earlier this week to announce a change regarding a contentious aspect of technology that has become standard in most newer vehicles. His message on X stated:
Start/stop technology: when your vehicle shuts off at each traffic signal, allowing businesses to claim environmental involvement. The EPA has endorsed this, yet everybody despises it, so we’re resolving the issue.
Related: The most affordable new car for 2025: All the details you should be aware of
Zeldin is talking about a mechanism that turns off the engine when a car comes to a halt, like at stoplights or during gridlocked traffic. This innovation aimed to enhance fuel efficiency and decrease carbon emissions for environmental benefits. The concept was initially suggested by President Obama back in 2012; however, it took an additional half-decade before updated fuel economy regulations spurred its growing adoption.
The EPA does not currently require any carmakers to offer start/stop off-cycling technology. However, if automakers include it, they receive extra carbon credits. The EPA is now phasing out that rule, removing much of the incentive for car makers to incorporate the feature.
The technology was included in a shocking 65% of new vehicles in 2023, up from 45% in 2021. This is a very significant increase from the pre-credit days, when just 1% of all vehicles incorporated the start/stop option in 2012.
Related: Top 20 twenty-five thousand dollar cars for 2025 as per Consumer Reports data
Many drivers hate the feature, but advocates argue it has a positive impact
Many of the comments responding to Zeldin’s X post showcase driver distaste for this feature, with one of the top commenters suggesting that Zeldin go a step further than just altering EPA policy on the technology and instead send its creators to prison in El Salvador.
However, while some dislike the feature because it puts added stress on the car engine and battery, and others dislike it simply because it is annoying, there
are
There are potentially some advantages to the technology.
Even though an EPA representative informed the NY Post that emission tests did not show a significant decrease in carbon emissions due to start-stop technology, theBattery Council International stated that thisfeaturehad led tothe eliminationof nearly 10milliontons ofgreenhousegasemissionsby 2023.
Connected: Toyota decides on sought-after crossover; U.S. buyers will appreciate this choice
Previously, the EPA has projected that the start-stop technology might enhance fuel efficiency by up to 4% to 5%.
Others contend that there is no justification for this.
not
To keep promoting the use of this technology, despite most cars including an on/off switch that lets users deactivate it if they’re not fond of it, remains challenging. Many people still find it annoying to have to recall hitting that button every single time they operate their vehicle because in numerous car models, it needs to be reset with each new drive.
At present, however, the Trump Administration is concentrating on reducing regulations, and Zeldin has stated unequivocally that scrapping this specific EPA rule will be a top priority.
More Automotive news:
-
Analyst lowers Tesla’s price target due to an unforeseen factor
-
General Motors is set to overtake Tesla in one key area
-
Tesla and Elon Musk take bold action amidst the U.S.-China trade conflict.
We’ll have to wait and see whether manufacturers continue to include start-stop functionality when incentives for doing so disappear. However, if historical trends repeat themselves and usage returns to pre-EPA encouragement levels, finding vehicles with this feature may become significantly more challenging in the future.
