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The dreaded auto start/stop feature used in so many modern cars, trucks, and SUVs could finally be done away with, thanks to EPA head Lee Zeldin. The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency took to X and declared this morning the technology “everyone hates” is no longer going to be required by federal regulation.

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People are excited about this announcement. If you don’t understand why, either you’re a huge engineering nerd who doesn’t process real life experiences normally or you don’t drive a vehicle equipped with this annoying and downright dangerous tech.

While proponents of auto start/stop claim cars equipped with it have robust starters and ignition systems, the people who fix vehicles have more to say about that. Plus, the fuel saved by the tech is far outweighed not just by annoyance but also safety issues.

On the annoyance side of things, some cars don’t start up quickly. That means when you take your foot off the brake once a red light turns green, it takes a couple of seconds or longer for the engine to spring back to life.

In the meantime, cars behind you are honking thinking you’re just not paying attention. Ironically, that delay could mean fewer vehicles get through the light, increasing their fuel consumption. This is in part why we think the tech doesn’t do what’s claimed, especially by engineers who don’t seem to understand how the real world operates.

Even worse is when you get into the median, put on your left turn signal, slow down because there’s some oncoming traffic, and the engine essentially stalls out. Then when there’s an opening for you to go the car isn’t ready.

There are panic situations too where the engine might not be running and ready, keeping drivers from getting out of danger. On modern vehicles, turning off the system has to be done every time you get inside and in many of them it requires pressing two buttons.

We say good riddance to this requirement from the EPA and hail this move by Zeldin as downright heroic.

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