Regulations: Page


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    Electronics Taking Over Safety

    Sophisticated new safety features may be one of the most compelling arguments for convincing wary consumers to trade in their current vehicles.

    By Aug. 31, 2009
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    U.S. Government Endorses Oz-Developed UltraBattery

    Pennsylvania-based East Penn says in certain tests the new battery exceeded the lifecycle of its nickel-metal-hydride counterpart for hybrid-vehicle applications.

    By Alan Harman • Aug. 20, 2009
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    California Tries Stricter Emissions by Regulating Car Parts

    Auto makers, environmentalists and the Obama White House reached an historic agreement two months ago, raising U.S. fuel economy rules and putting to rest years of bickering over California's right to set its own emissions standards. But the state regulator in the nation's largest new-vehicle market continues to flex its administrative muscle. The California Air Resources Board recently adopted a

    By James M. Amend with Drew Winter • Aug. 1, 2009
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    Dealer-Lawyer Joins Board

    Pasadena, CA Victoria Pearson, the new dealer member of the powerful California New Motor Vehicle Board, is at age 40 three years younger than the luxury-brand group created by her father in the Los Angeles market. In keeping with marketing skills advanced by Paul P. Rusnak making Rusnak Auto Group No.1 in volume sales for the Jaguar brand in the U.S. this year his daughter wants the vehicle board

    By Mac Gordon • Aug. 1, 2009
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    It’s Official: CARB is Designing Our Cars

    There's a Joke going Around the Auto industry that the only car auto makers soon will be able to sell in California will be Fred Flintstone's foot-powered Flintmobile. But by 2012, even Flintstone's ride may not pass muster in the Golden State because it is not equipped with the special windows and low-rolling-resistance tires that likely will be required. Thumbing its nose at the Obama Admin.'s view

    By Aug. 1, 2009
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    $2 Billion Boost for CARS Goes Before Senate

    Dealers are thrilled, if beleaguered, by the news because NHTSA server traffic has been so heavy, sales reps have been unable to register transactions.

    By James M. Amend and Eric Mayne • July 31, 2009
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    Cash-for-Clunkers Hit and Misses

    Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.Is the government's program proving to be too popular? Sales at many dealerships are going through the roof with many reporting selling more...

    July 29, 2009
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    Cash-for-Clunkers an Early Hit, Dealers Say

    Dealers are reporting such strong cash-for-clunker sales, some experts predict the $1 billion government fund could run out of money as early as next week.

    By Cliff Banks • July 29, 2009
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    It’s Official: CARB is Designing Our Cars

    CARB’s new strategy of telling auto engineers how to hit fuel economy targets in addition to mandating them is bizarre and potentially dangerous.

    By July 23, 2009
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    Dealers Gear Up for Cash-for-Clunkers

    The government incentive scheme already is generating sales, dealers say, although NHTSA has yet to publish the final rules.

    By Cliff Banks • July 9, 2009
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    CARB Cools Paint Mandate

    To the relief of automotive paint suppliers and auto makers, the California Air Resources Board has announced it is shelving for now its controversial plan to mandate the phase-in of heat-reflecting paints. The regulation would have required use of the new paints on vehicles beginning with the '12 model year, with all colors meeting a 20% reflectivity requirement by '16. The CARB measure was aimed

    By May 1, 2009
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    Schwarzenegger Calls for Energy Policy at SAE World Congress

    Detroit would bounce back with the establishment of a national energy policy and a commitment by auto makers to exploit the technologies such a policy would inspire.

    By Eric Mayne • April 20, 2009
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    Tata Seeks Aid From U.K. Government for Jaguar Land Rover

    The luxury brands, which were acquired by India’s Tata last year for $2.3 billion, already have laid off 450 workers this year.

    By Ward's Staff • March 25, 2009
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    Malaysia Launches Scrappage Subsidy to Aid Struggling Auto Industry

    The government will finance 50% of the scrappage scheme, which pays owners of older vehicles to turn them in and purchase new cars from Proton and Perodua.

    By Alan Harman • March 16, 2009
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    IIHS: CO2 Rules Need CAFE Index

    One of the Nation's Leading Safety advocates says if the U.S. government ditches corporate average fuel economy standards in favor of rules limiting carbon-dioxide emissions, as the new Obama Admin. has suggested in recent weeks, regulators must retain a weight/sizing index or risk an uptick in injuries and deaths from car crashes. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety President Adrian Lund also

    By James M. Amend • March 1, 2009
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    New Law Could Spark Abuses

    Did you have more than 15 employees for more than 20 weeks in the past year? If you answered then congratulations! You have won the grand prize from the folks that brought you the Crash of 2008! With the ADA Restoration Act (ADARA, S. 1881, H.R. 3195) now any one of your employees can a disability nearly at will! You must be thrilled. A newsletter sent by law firm Fisher & Phillips says: In perhaps

    By James E. Lawrence • Dec. 1, 2008
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    Canada Ponders Auto Industry Aid Package

    In recent weeks, as the industry crisis worsened, Canada’s federal government and the Ontario provincial government have indicated they would entertain direct aid packages – a significant departure from current practice.

    By Ward's Staff • Nov. 20, 2008
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    Next-Generation HMIs Should Accommodate Human Behavior

    Designers of new HMIs must consider the driver’s most basic needs, as well as enhance driver performance and stimulate driver enthusiasm to improve safety, one expert says.

    By James M. Amend • Oct. 21, 2008
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    Active Safety Technology No Excuse for Poor Driving

    Many active driver aids protect motorists from themselves and others on the road, yet if not used responsibly, they have the potential to instill overconfidence and do more harm than good, a supplier executive says.

    By Mike Sutton • Oct. 20, 2008
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    Law Calls for Written Pay Plans for Commissioned Staffers

    Many car dealers throughout the country could face legal problems regarding how their commissioned-based employees are paid. The warning comes as new legislation goes on the books in New York that requires written pay plans for commissioned employees that spell out worker classification, payment of wages, and calculation of commissions. Without such a written pay plan in place, the burden of proof

    Aug. 1, 2008
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    New NHTSA Crash Ratings Draw Lukewarm Reaction

    A new overall “Vehicle Safety Score” combining the star ratings from front, side and rollover procedures arrives with ’10 model testing.

    By James M. Amend • July 11, 2008
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    Law of Diminishing Returns

    First runs for cars at auctions usually yield higher price offers, says a Citi Financial Auto and AutoIMS study. Using 2007 Adessa Inc. data the study indicates 83% of vehicles sell at auctions on their first runs through the lanes and fetch prices averaging 103% above market prices. If the cars have to be run a second or third time, says study co-author Layne Weber, the price dropped quite a bit

    By Mac Gordon • July 1, 2008
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    Bike Makers’ Patent Battle May Reveal India’s Hand

    Multinational auto makers have been fighting IPR infringement in a number of emerging markets, and a strong policy in India would give them greater confidence to introduce new technology and designs.

    By Sudhakar Shah • June 2, 2008
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    Move Your Inventory Faster

    If you are like many dealers, you wrote down some used-vehicle inventory at the end of the year. As a result, you may have instituted a mandatory turn policy that, when a unit hits a certain age, it must be disposed of. A turn policy is a step in the right direction, but not without addressing the behavior that created the aging and wholesale losses in the first place? To illustrate my point, let's

    By Tony Albertson • June 1, 2008
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    Smart Fortwo Scores Well in IIHS Crash Test

    Smart Fortwo’s NHTSA crash-test results were mixed.

    By Ward's Staff • May 14, 2008