Technology

The federal programs now in place appear to have a substantial potential to address the several problem areas that have prevented satisfactory control of vehicle emissions. The combination of reformulated gasoline and I&M targeting of evaporative emissions should greatly improve control of these emissions in noncomplying regions. Improved l&M programs, coupled with more stringent standards, onboard diagnostics, and increased emission …

Weight reduction has been a primary component of efforts to improve automobile fuel economy during the past two decades. Between 1976 and 1982, in response to federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations, automakers managed to reduce the weight of the steel portions of the average auto from 2,279 to 1,753 pounds by downsizing the fleet and shifting from body-on-frame …