There Auto Be A Law Lightning strikes, MPG and wrong turn signals
May 22, 2025
The podcast opens with a fiery debate on the Trump administration's move to lower fuel economy standards and its effect on electric vehicles. The conversation dives into quirky turn signal colors, revealing why the U.S. sticks with red while Europe prefers amber. Safety concerns around autonomous vehicles unfold as the hosts discuss Aurora Innovation's return to human drivers. Lightning's staggering power is humorously examined, emphasizing the safety of being in a car during a strike. Finally, Tesla and Waymo's self-driving technologies face scrutiny in a tense showdown.
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CAFE Rollback Via Interpretation
- The administration framed resetting CAFE as an "interpretation" to avoid full rulemaking and public comment.
- Michael Brooks says this sidesteps scrutiny while effectively rolling back stricter fuel-economy targets.
Politics Drive Fuel-Economy Shifts
- Fuel-economy politics are fraught because automakers often resist stricter standards despite climate needs.
- Brooks notes each administration uses CAFE to stamp its policy while the climate crisis demands higher fuel efficiency.
Automakers Follow Political Winds
- Automakers like GM publicly flip their EV stance depending on the White House, says Brooks.
- He calls this pandering to political winds rather than a steady EV strategy.
