Get ready for the engine in your next car to shut off at stoplights, even if you don’t like it.
Pressed to meet tougher fuel-economy and pollutions standards, automakers increasingly are adding engine stop-start systems across their lineups. The systems automatically turn off engines at stoplights and instantly restart them once a driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal.
The technology is designed to keep your lights, air conditioning, heater and radio running while the engine is cut during a stop. The engine stays on if you turn the steering wheel, if you’re stopped on a steep hill, the engine is still warming up, or the heater or air conditioner are working hard to maintain a desired temperature.
Stop-start technology is relatively inexpensive for automakers to install — costing an estimated $300 — and provides a decent fuel economy benefit, typically ranging up to 4 percent or 5 percent. Automakers say the benefit can be higher if a driver does a lot of city driving. And automakers benefit, too, as they can receive credits toward meeting federal fuel economy regulations if they put start-stop systems on their vehicles.
By the end of the year, IHS Markit forecasts that slightly more than 15 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. will be equipped with stop-start, up from 5.7 percent in 2013 and 7.5 percent in 2014.
“Five years from now, we’re expecting about 65 percent take rate on stop-start,” said Paul Lacy, senior manager of Americas powertrain and compliance forecasting for the firm.
Experiences with stop-start vary. Some drivers find them noisy and the restart vibration somewhat jarring, and opt to turn it off — when they can. Others don’t even realize they have it. And some enjoy how quiet the car can be while sitting in traffic with the engine off.
Those who drive them a first time may believe the car has stalled.
“People, when they see it for the first time, may be kind of startled by it, and it’s something unusual that they haven’t experienced,” said Jeff Lux, vice president of transmission powertrain for FCA North America. “But I think if they give it a chance, they really come to appreciate it, that ‘Hey, why should I be burning fuel when I’m sitting at the stoplight when I don’t have to be?’ ”
Daniel Mitchell, 55, of Middletown, Ohio, first experienced stop-start on a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu.
“It took some getting used to,” said Mitchell, recalling those first few drives.
But Mitchell said he knew about the gas-saving technology and having that knowledge has helped with acceptance. He recently traded in the ’14 Malibu to lease a 2016 Malibu, which also has stop-start.
“It saves me gas, so I’m fine with that,” he said.
Read more of the original article at The Detroit News.
