Real-world benefits of automatic stop-start technology

While there are many ways of improving the fuel economy and emissions of conventional gasoline and diesel engines through techniques such as downsizing and turbocharging, one relatively simple means attracting greater OEM attention is stop-start technology. According to Sustainable America, a new environmental not-for-profit organisation, the average US driver spends around 16 minutes a day idling in their vehicle. Over a year, this adds up to four days. This idling costs fuel. A study by The Hinkle Charitable Foundation found that vehicle idling results in US drivers wasting around 3.8 million gallons of gas every day.