Are cars with auto start-stop really that annoying?
This post isn’t political, it’s just about cars. I want to gauge how annoying the automatic start-stop feature really is. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, wants to take action against the start and stop system because apparently everyone hates it.
I will admit there are some annoying aspects to it. For example, in some trucks, like the Ram 1500, you have to turn off the start-start system every time you fire up the engine. But in other cars, the setting is saved.
Also, in vehicles from around 2018, the automatic state and stop system was rough and annoying. The engines shuttered, the system didn’t have the best timing, and sometimes there was a delay upon restarting.
But modern newer SUVs have auto start and stop systems that are hard to notice. They have improved. According to Fox Business, the EPA doesn’t require vehicles to have this tech, but automakers that adopt it get extra fuel economy credits.
It does save between 4 to 5% of gas and diesel. Plus, it eliminated 10 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, as a 2023 study found.
Modern engines are designed to handle frequent restarts with ease to prevent wear. Batteries are also more robust to prevent additional strain from the auto start-stop system.
So, it’s not exactly harmful to vehicles and can save gas. But I will admit some trucks with auto stop-start have annoyed me but in other trucks, it’s hard to notice.
