No its the fact that the milage/pollution test in america foes fubar on stop start systems. We should start to see alot of such systems soon as the test gets revised.

GM had the BAS system on Malibu and it did not catch on. It did not help that Cobasys sent them bad battery packs, but there are other battery makers. They were rumored to have a BAS+ in the works with lithium batteries and a more powerful motor/alternator/starter, but like lots of announcements the proof is in the actual results.

On-going cheap $2/gallon gas may be the main reason why nothing is done.

"It is not GM's job to force it on buyers.."

It is not GM's job to buy mass transit, close it down, and continue the life of convicted corporate felons, but they did.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2006/12/who_killed_the_/

But since they're not alone http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0620-24.htm

"What is going on with our society and consumption and drill baby drill culture?" is a damn good question.

Or it's just a ToppaTom definition of freedom, like global fiscal meltdowns, republican senators, and foreign country occupation.

"It is not GM's job to buy mass transit, close it down, but they did."

And it is apparently not cost effective to keep it going because NO ONE did.

Very simple.

"continue the life of convicted corporate felons" also very simple.

I have and use a scangauge - It will not save you anything like 33% unless you change from total disregard for MPG to a hypermiler and you don't need instant MPG for that.

It is NOT as simple as some imply.

Better mileage on the highway is simple – slow down, be late, spend an extra night in a motel.

Better mileage in the city is complex and a Scangauge is not much help.

In the city, the biggest gain is to avoid braking.
But a Scangauge shows great MPG while breaking.

“Avoiding braking” actually is more complex; it means plan ahead, coast instead of hold speed, lay back and let the light change and the traffic ahead clear. Then try to ignore the rage of the drivers behind you while you accelerate barely enough to make the light - excess speed will just require braking.

I suspect that if 50% of the drivers did this and other were left to cope with them we would have synergistic chaos. I am not against driving green, I do it moderately, but it is oversold.

Slow acceleration from stop is also moderately good for MPG, but early upshifts is the real goal and the Scangauge is not much help here either, it does not show sudden high MPG upon early upshifts.

Some people must really want to dump all laws, since laws are not inherently profitable.

As both criminals and corporations take all the money they can get and don't worry about who or what they hurt or destroy - what's difference?

Tell some Gulf Coast families that lost their fishing and tourism livelihoods that "It's simple" - it's all just corporate profit.

That person would be wishing for lots of laws then..

The conversion of coal to vehicle fuel or chemicals is the only way to eliminate imported oil use quickly. China is doing it in a big way in its chemical industry.

Since computers control automobile engines anyway, they could feed enough electricity and fuel and air to the exhaust system to keep it operation ready at a stop.

Flywheel starter-generators could eliminate the inefficiency of the belts.
..HG..

Why build something when it is more profitable investing in treasury bonds from Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Greece and elsewhere. It is money for nothing, with manufacturing you actually have to make something and take the risk of an economic recession that you caused?

@Mannstein

BINGO!

When more profits become the ONLY incentives and goals, a nation is in great danger of falling in the hands of the smart wheeler dealers. We had a very good example on Wall Street in 2007.