GM's Lutz Asks For Break On Crash Tests To Focus On Fuel Efficiency

It's no secret that America's largest automakers -- General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler -- are struggling. Weighted by the burden of a troublesome economy, and facing increasingly strict legislation on fuel economy, the future of the trio seems uncertain. Still, each has forged ahead with its efforts to produce hybrid vehicles, generally accepted to be the future of the auto industry.

None has put as much effort into the field, perhaps, as GM. GM has invested a great deal of money into the development and advertising of the all-electric Chevy Volt, to launch in November 2010 and the development of biofuels. However, despite its best efforts, GM remains concerned about the effects of CAFE (coporate average fuel economy) legislation.

General Motors Corp.'s vice chairman and product-development chief, Bob Lutz, is calling on the federal government to take an unusual step to ease pressure on automakers and allow them to focus on fuel economy -- suspend crash testing requirements. Mr. Lutz is particularly worried about, among other vehicles, the future of the fuel hungry Corvette.

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Comments

[JScott]

Typical auto company whining, and they're asking for more from the government till as posted elsewhere on here.
Shows where their mindset is at-NOT A CLUE!!!!!!!!
They shouldn't get ANYTHING.
Heck if VW can give crashworthyness and fuel economy to their new Beetle, GM can do the same too.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

I'm just Joe Blow like a lot of folks out there and I knew we were getting hosed with our cars getting bigger engines,then colossal size vehicles(Hummers) with huge rebates courtesy of this administra­tion.I truly believe there were only two kinds of people,those like me,and those that don't give $h1# about anyone but themselves­.GM is the latter,they know more about what was needed here than anyone on the planet.I'd like to say screw them but there are still Americans with jobs there and something needs to be done to re-organize GM and look out for hard working Americans,not CEO's that just pick up huge payouts for having the "right" contacts and golf partners.

[richdeb]

Don't give GM a thing. Nothing. For decades, Bob Lutz (who is no different now then when he worked for Chrysler) and his whole crew of bone-headed GM business bureaucrats just thumbed their noses at the environment and scoffed at idea of fuel consumption standards (yeah, Bob, we're all really concerned about the future of the gas guzzling Corvette), so long as they were making billions of dollars selling their SUVs and other profanely oversized vehicles. These corporate dinosaurs now have the nerve to ask the government to suspend crash test regulations so they can play catch-up with the Japanese and other forward-thinking companies. It would be a crime -- not that that has stopped the Bush administration before -- to even consider this request, and a crime punishable by being forced to drive a GM vehicle if it ends up costing the taxpayers anything.

[deluxebrand]

Are you friggin' kidding me??? GM and the rest of US automakers should be left to their fate. THEY are completely responsible for the situation they are in...to relax crash test/safety requirements to focus on fuel economy? They should have thought about fuel economy a long time ago...Path­etic!

[RememberTheAlamo]

Hi All . . . GM needs to keep crash-testing vehicles . . . fuel economy is not an "easy out".

As to Corvette gas mileage . . . what is that all about?

Wasn't aware the corvette uses that much gas . . . To conserve gas we parked the little car and started using the corvette . . . we get a reliable 22 mpg in town and high 30's on the road . . . my wife drives a little faster and she can achieve 45 mpg on the road (extended drives) . . . seems there is a sweet spot where the engine efficiency and wind/rolling resistance balance around 82 mph . . . Has anybody else experienced this?

Right now I am averaging 27 mpg with my driving . . . and my mpg, from inception is 23 (48,000 miles, with 98% . . . in-town).

[howmuchisenough]

I agree with Mr. Lutz 100%. Weight is the enemy of performance and fuel economy, and if we trimmed both weight and performance, fuel economy would greatly increase. Relaxing crash requirements to allow cars to be lighter creates a snowball effect. Lighter cars can use lighter frames, smaller brakes, smaller engines, narrower tires, and still retain the same performamce. Now imagine if they took a car like a Fusion or Malibu or Accord, lightened it, and powered it so that it could top out at 80mph and do 0-60 in, say, 12 seconds - all within the range of "normal" driving. MPG would increase drastically.

Reduce the safety requirements on the cars, and make drivers' tests more demanding.

[iambusto]

short GM, Make a lot of money, live happily ever after

[DRaymond]

If the Corvette goes the way of the dodo, that's just fine with me.

Actually suspending the safety requirements would be a big mistake. Consumers want safe vehicles. To my knowledge there is nothing requiring new cars to have airbags. There is nothing stopping them from marketing a car with a one-star impact rating. It wouldn't sell worth crap.

Now if you follow the link behind the link you will find that what he specifically suggests is to allow the importing of vehicles that meet European crash test standards. GM (and also Ford) successfully sell a wide variety of high-mileage vehicles in Europe and importing them would make it easier to react to current consumer desires. The European standards aren't bad, but they require a different test procedure and thus different engineering. Think of how long it took to get the SMART car to the USA and you see that it is not an easy process.

[Voltaire1694]

What if we let the consumer decide? If the consumer wants to pay for safety like air bags and so forth, then let them pay extra. If the consumer wants high gas mileage then let them choose gas mileage at the expense of safety. A free market will develop a wide spectrum for things like safety, performance, comfort, economy, size, and style. Most cars in a free market will strike a balance between many different desirable features.

Freedom of choice is what we want. That's what you guys on the Left want, right?

No you on the left are what we call elitist. You know what is better for me. Right down to the very particulars involving the mechanical workings of the car I can buy.

So you on the Left; tell me what car can I buy? Or shall the state provide for my transportation? On the bus this prole goes.

[ccpostman]

As long as you guys on the right don't sue after you die in a car with NO air bags. Right?

Republicans always want both$ Always looking for the easy buck at the expense of others!

Freedom of choice is a b*tch!

All take the airbags and drive safely to your funereal!

[mamacat]

In the interest of a "free market" economy, I propose that anyone with a net worth of over $5 million be allowed to buy a car without safety equipment.

[KillTheMessenger]

GM Volt to go on sale Novermber 2010. That's 38 months from now if I am not mistaken.

50 bucks that GM won't make it any longer than 30 months.

[Tom95134]

Toyota makes the numbers, why can't GM?

The question is, "Is GM just playing a game of smoke and mirrors making people think they are trying to meet fuel economy numbers while just setting on their hands waiting for gas prices to creep down to where people will start buying the gas guzzlers again."

[degenerate1991]

While cars are slightly more efficient now, the gains have been minimal because of safety equipment. in the early 90's, one could buy a Geo (General Motors) Metro that gets 45-50 MPG without the expense and environmental damage of batteries. They don't make it today for two reasons: Not enough people bought them. Safety standards progressed to the point that the car would hae been made too heavy, lowering the gas mileage. The average car gets about 25-30 MPG these days. My 1991 Honda Accord gets 28-30 MPG while having 228,000 miles on it and being 18 years old. There has been much progress in automobiles, but due to the increased safety standards forcing the cars to be heavier, the cars have more horsepower rather than getting better gas mileage.

[layman]

American car companies are always either asking for breaks or coporate welfare, or lobbying the hell out of the legislature for tailor made legislation to fit their profit margin. What a bunch whinners, when things are going their way due to their own mismanagement.

Toyota have a hybrid car years ahead and selling like hot cakes.

GM talks abou producing a hybrid car and generates a lot publicity, but no car that's selling and years behind, spending lotsof advertising dollars on a car that yet to exist. Hell lots of talking not much doing. Talk ...talk talk talk yap yap yap yap yap yadi yadi yadi yada yada. .

[berryessence]

LINE THEIR POCKETS.

I HAVE ALWAYS DROVE NISSANS

WHY

BECAUSE THERE PLANT IS IN MY BACKYARD

[Blurp]

Just say it GM... fill in the blank... you're too lazy, stupid, inept, cheap to make fuel-efficient cars that are also safe! American industry, something to be truly proud of.

[MetalCanuck]

Buy the 2009 Toyota prius, its suppose to get 103 MPG.

[ccpostman]

Hear that GM!

[americandiaspora]

gm always first to do corporate blackmail

[mamacat]

Sounds like GM just gave their competitors some pretty powerful ammunition to use against them.