Making Cars Fun To Drive Again
I & I Editorial Board
April 17, 2026
Has there ever been an automobile feature as widely despised as the stop-start system that the Obama administration forced on the country? Unlikely. Which is why new federal action that kills the requirement is cause for celebration.
The “feature,” which is the wrong word for what’s truly a nuisance, automatically shuts off a car’s internal-combustion engine when it is idling at a red light or stuck in traffic. It restarts the engine when either the foot comes off the brake pedal or the accelerator is pressed. The action is jerky — it too often feels like a minor collision — distracting and tiring, producing a driving experience that’s more wearisome than enjoyable.
It’s also likely that the system increases wear on a car’s starter and battery, forcing owners to replace them sooner than they otherwise would — though its few supporters claim this isn’t so.
The industry was coerced by the Obama administration to include the function in every new car to improve fuel efficiency and cut emissions. Automakers weren’t required to make it standard, but it became a mandate of sorts in 2012 because the government gave them a credit if they added the confounded gadget to their lineups.
To the relief of many, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin eliminated the credit in February as part of the Trump administration’s unwinding of useless and counterproductive Obama-era environmental rules.
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