The two cases have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Really, you don't get what I said at all.
I don't question their ability to comply with whatever crazy regulations is imposed.
What constitutes crazy? You still haven't answered the charge that you are reserving the prerogative to decide what constitutes "makes sense." Nor are you technically competent to do so. Is it positive crankcase ventilation? Is it exhaust gas recirculation? Is it air injection? Is it multiport direct injection?
That's not the point any more. Every car manufacturer in the world has the ability to do every one of those technologies. They have the ability to make cars that get better mileage, more power, less emissions of whatever type the customer thinks important. Hell, they can even give you a car that can manage all of those trade-offs. That's existing technology.
The point is, they can do that without changing the car at all, and vary the relative degree of emphasis by local market preference, all in software. IOW, the car doesn't have to be different to respect local preferences.
What you haven't considered is a community's desire to market their air quality versus roads with 100mph speed limits, etc. because you want one standard nationwide.
Why? Cars today are made to order, not to forecast. The entire bill of material is then generated and delivery forecasts updated. That's what JIT is all about. It is not analogous to the gasoline market, which is far more sensitive to delivery and inventory costs. The belief that a national standard is the only technically and economically feasible option is simply no longer true because the WIP and supply chain are so much more flexible.
In any case, a national standard is effectively a democratic majority using a government agent to design cars, something I know for certain you don't want.
When I said “make sense” I was referring to what makes economic sense. I was not passing judgment on technology, nor suggesting that I had the technical knowledge to do so.
I do know that for every regulation you place on industry there is a cost. I’m for limiting those. Can a company react to millions of pages of regulation? Sure. Can they adapt their products more easily through JIT to make a car to your specific specifications? Sure. But there is a cost.
That is all I was saying.
As to a community marketing clean air, I think you missed the topic of the thread. We’re talking about greenhouse gases, not pollution.
All this regional EnvironMental engineering is doing is simply making everything cost more, including S&H!!!
However, here's to local control in local hands as EnvironMentalists are nothing but control freaks who don't want to have to intimidate, lobby and litigate each county in America, let alone the 58 counties of CA!!!
There are a multitude of facets to the discussion the two of you are having and it is VERY interesting!!! Carry on, please...