why does congress have to tell US automakers they need to produce fuel efficient vehicles?

Question

are US automakers so stupid as to ignore the price of gas?... are the salaries of these CEOs so high that they can afford to simply ignore gas prices and produce cars/trucks nobody wants?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071202/ap_on_go_co/more_mpg

Answer 1

because the free market hasn't done anything since they past the last laws in the 70s. if automakers where producing more fuel efficient cars on their own it wouldn't be necessary. sure they are finally making headway with ethano and hybrid, but this technology isn't new. the only reason they are doing it now is because it is popular. which is the exact same reason congress is doing it now. neither are willing to do it on their own cause it is the right thing to do. instead they wait until there is an outcry from consumers to do it.

Answer 2

It is not that the automakers are stupid. It is that a large segment of the American public sees oil shortages as Liberal Conspiracies, and global warming as Liberal Lies. The automakers are greedy by exploiting this.

The Automakers are being stupid in that the profits from SUV's are a short term thing. We will never again see $2/gal, and perhaps even $3/ gal fuel.

The price of oil falls, and herds of American sheep will flock to Hummers and Escalades. Those drops in price are becoming fewer and farther between, and Ford and GM are doomed if they do not wake up and smell the coffee.

Answer 3

do you realize why they went for SUVs? keep in mind that interior the Clinton presidency, gasoline costs have been low. So a vehicle that used fairly some gasoline replaced into not lots of a issue. gasoline performance standards are continuously increasing (at a snail's %. in this usa), and US automakers do in contrast to having to fulfill new standards. yet a loophole existed: utility type autos over a definite tonnage had distinctive gasoline performance standards (you should argue they had none). This made the SUV appealing: you should apply present engine designs in a bigger vehicle to stay sparkling of gasoline performance standards. If congress did not make gasoline performance standards, automakers does not exchange them. truthfully, they might given opposition from distant places automakers and the actuality that each and each one persons desire to diminish our gasoline invoice. Or a minimum of we ought to continuously... At any value, Detroit may be doing fantastic devoid of congress intervention.

Answer 4

You ask a question that I myself have wondered . I buy americian as much as I can to keep the jobs where they belong in the us.... it is hard though to buy a vechile us made, the japanese models are better made last longer get better milage ect...I still buy americian cause of my beliefs..I just wish the "big three' would get thier acts together..peace
ps I own a ford f250 diesel that I plan on converting to bio diesel..so I will have my own solution...peace

Answer 5

It makes them feel powerful. It does not matter how fuel efficient our cars are, it will never be enough. They have consistently raised the fuel standards for 20 years. Our cars are not as safe as they used to be but they get better gas mileage. When we make them out of balsa wood and get rid of anything bigger than the family sedan, maybe Congress will focus on important things such as securing our nation
s borders.

Answer 6

In the hopes that it will get them more votes. Same reason they do anything they do.