EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has issued a draft plan to weaken greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy standards for automobiles. If approved by President Trump, the policy will create a conflict with California and the 12 states that follow its rules. They will likely keep the current tighter standards on the books while other states opt to follow the new, weaker rules.
Why it matters: The fuel economy standards for automobiles were a key pillar in the U.S. pledge to reduce greenhouse gases to 26–28% of 2005 levels by 2025 under the Paris Agreement. They would provide carbon savings equivalent to 272 million tons of CO2.
Tesla said Friday that one of its Model X SUVs that was in a fatal crash earlier this month was in Autopilot mode when it hit a barrier and was subsequently struck by other cars, according to the WSJ.
Why it matters: Automakers and ride-sharing companies are trying to test and prove the safety of semi-autonomous and self-driving cars. These crashes are setbacks in that effort, both in terms of proving the technology and in gaining public trust.
