By Steven Symes 
The dreaded auto start/stop feature used in so many modern cars, trucks, and SUVs could finally be done away with, thanks to EPA head Lee Zeldin. The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency took to X and declared this morning the technology “everyone hates” is no longer going to be required by federal regulation.
Ford’s CEO thinks expensive new cars isn’t a problem.
People are excited about this announcement. If you don’t understand why, either you’re a huge engineering nerd who doesn’t process real life experiences normally or you don’t drive a vehicle equipped with this annoying and downright dangerous tech.
While proponents of auto start/stop claim cars equipped with it have robust starters and ignition systems, the people who fix vehicles have more to say about that. Plus, the fuel saved by the tech is far outweighed not just by annoyance but also safety issues.
On the annoyance side of things, some cars don’t start up quickly. That means when you take your foot off the brake once a red light turns green, it takes a couple of seconds or longer for the engine to spring back to life.
In the meantime, cars behind you are honking thinking you’re just not paying attention. Ironically, that delay could mean fewer vehicles get through the light, increasing their fuel consumption. This is in part why we think the tech doesn’t do what’s claimed, especially by engineers who don’t seem to understand how the real world operates.
Even worse is when you get into the median, put on your left turn signal, slow down because there’s some oncoming traffic, and the engine essentially stalls out. Then when there’s an opening for you to go the car isn’t ready.
There are panic situations too where the engine might not be running and ready, keeping drivers from getting out of danger. On modern vehicles, turning off the system has to be done every time you get inside and in many of them it requires pressing two buttons.
We say good riddance to this requirement from the EPA and hail this move by Zeldin as downright heroic.
Image copyright The Auto Wire
Actually, this article has a few good points but my experience with such a system is not that bad. I have a GM start/stop system which I cannot turn off, but it is so unobtrusive it does not bother me. For one, it is fast. When I take my foot of the gas quickly and hit the gas, the car turns on in the time I am moving my foot over to the gas pedal. The only thing I cannot do is a two pedal start like cars used to be able to do, which is not really needed. If the system is built well, there is virtually no delay at all. The problem is other manufactures have not built it to react as fast so this article is true in those cases. The only way to get around it at traffic lights is anticipate when the light turns green and take your foot off the gas when the light in the other direction is yellow. That will give the car time to start and pull away when your light turns green in that case.
[…] Remotely Take Over A Nissan’s Steering EPA Chief: Auto Start/Stop Technology Is Done JDM MKIV Supra Wrecked In Florida Police Chase Ford CEO Jim Farley Is Happy With 84-Month […]
It is annoying! I recently bought a Jeep Compass. Unfortunately, it as that feature, but I can turn it off. I can’t stand it. I do have to turn it off every time I start the car, but it’s worth it. I am in the situation where it doesn’t start up right away (1 sec delay) and then it feel like an eternity for the car to get in gear to drive off. When that start/stop function is off, it’s smooth driving. Good riddance!
[…] at the point when the light changes. But at least we are saving the planet (/sarc). EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin took to X / Twitter over the weekend with an announcement that this uni…. Lee Zeldin is doing some magic at the EPA. We need congress to lock all this into […]