Start & Stop

End of an Era in Sight in the USA?

About ten years ago, the Start & Stop system became established as a "green" solution in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Its principle is simple: automatically cut the engine when the vehicle is stationary (red light, traffic jams, etc.) to reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. On paper, it makes sense. And in hybrids, it's even relevant. But in a pure ICE vehicle, especially with dynamic driving, what enthusiast hasn't gritted their teeth feeling the engine cut out abruptly when hot, at a standstill, after a few sharp accelerations?

Despite everything, we got used to it. The system became widespread, encouraged by carbon credits and strengthened environmental standards, particularly under the Obama administration. It must be said that tests showed real savings, between 7 and 26% in city driving, depending on traffic. But now, the United States is preparing to reverse course.

Stop & Start in the EPA's Crosshairs

Lee Zeldin, the new head of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), has openly criticized the technology. In his view, Start & Stop is a "climate gadget" imposed on drivers: uncomfortable, unreliable, activated by default, and often impossible to disable permanently. In a post on X, he even talks about "cars that die at every red light just to win an eco-trophy."

Behind these statements, a new dynamic is primarily taking shape: that of massive deregulation in the automotive sector. Environmental standards are being revised downwards, incentives for electric vehicles are threatened, and Start & Stop is one of the targeted symbols. While not formally banned, the associated regulatory aid and bonuses could disappear, making its integration significantly less attractive for manufacturers.

Contested Effectiveness

Let's be honest: on mild hybrids or city cars, Start & Stop can make sense, particularly to meet fleet CO₂ targets. But for sports engines or characterful vehicles, it's often more of a hindrance than progress.

Who hasn't experienced a loss of responsiveness when restarting? Who hasn't seen their air conditioning cut out when stationary? And what about the premature wear of starters or customers who systematically deactivate the function as soon as they get behind the wheel?

At WOT, we know it well: the majority of users seeking performance want control. A system that imposes itself without the possibility of permanent deactivation inevitably ends up being rejected.

What the Market (Also) Says

Europe, for its part, has chosen the opposite path, with GSR2 imposing ever more assistance and automated systems in the name of safety and ecology. If the United States turns its back on Start & Stop, it will highlight philosophical differences: between a liberal approach and a normative approach. One can't help but wonder: how many of these imposed technologies will withstand the test of reality?

Our Opinion at WOT

Start & Stop, we endured it more than we chose it. And even if it had its uses in a given regulatory context, it was never synonymous with driving pleasure, nor even universal efficiency.

At WOT, as always, we are closely following these developments – not to endure them, but to anticipate them. The future of reprogramming will be played out on intelligent trade-offs between performance, legality, and user experience. And it's not a checked or unchecked Start & Stop box that will change that.