ASA TO MONITOR STATE REGS, LEGISLATION
WASHINGTON-The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has contracted the services of a legislative and regulatory reporting firm to provide monitoring services on pending issues, legislation and regulations impacting the automotive service industry in all 50 states. The ASA said its Washington office will receive the reports via computer and use them to analyze legislative trends and to help craft comprehensive strategies and policy positions.
The association also will receive supplementary material on related federal issues.
NHTSA eyeing ABS for light-duty vehicles
WASHINGTON-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is inviting comments on whether antilock brake systems (ABS) should be mandated on all passenger cars and light-duty trucks of less than 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight.
A report in Maintenance, a newsletter for professional truck equipment managers, said NHTSA estimates the rule would cost consumers some $1.04 billion per year, if all-wheel ABS systems are used.
The agency also said it is inclined to give light-duty truck manufacturers three years from an effective date to make ABS standard, Maintenance reported. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has set a corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard of 20.7 miles per gallon for light trucks in the 1996 and '97 model years.
This standard sets ``the maximum feasible level'' for those model years based on economic practicability, technological feasibility and energy conservation needs, the agency's acting administrator said.
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) said it has altered the title and content of its electrical systems certification test (A6) to the Electrical/Electronics Systems Test to better reflect the widespread influence of electronics technology on today's automobiles.
Allied Signal Inc. reported that it plans to close its chlorofluorocarbon factory in Danville, Ill., by Aug. 31. Demand for the air conditioning refrigerant-which is banned by 1996-is dropping fast, the company said.