Promoting plug-ins: $4,000,000 per car

It’d be nice if, when we all agreed there was a problem that we could also all agree on what to do about it. Like oil. We don’t know anyone who says that using a lot of Middle Eastern oil is good. But we don’t really know any two people who agree on a solution, […]

Massachusetts closes in on Right to Repair

Right to Repair laws give what has heretofore been proprietary manufacturer information to independent shops. The idea is that by restricting certain types of repair to dealerships – for instance, software issues in a hybrid – it’s anticompetitive. Not to mention onerous for consumers who might well have to schlep many miles to their dealership, […]

Oversight, schmoversight

The “Toyota Bill,” HR 5381 in the House and S 3302 in the Senate, measures that would grant the DOT sweeping new enforcement powers, is losing its teeth.
We shouldn’t be surprised that Congress acts schizophrenically, but we really thought that after the bailout the Feds would have some leverage. As we’ve reported previously, the legislation […]