Talking about popping your own tires– this story blows my mind.  Brandweek reported this week that the auto industry is fighting proposed legislation to increase auto mileage:

The auto industry takes on the government beginning this weekend with an ad campaign that warns consumers that proposed increases in fuel standards would drive up the price of vehicles.

The series of radio spots and print ads, via Glover Park Group, Washington, will run in ten states. The ads also state that a Senate bill that would impose a requirement that automakers raise fuel economy by 40% by 2020 would make drivers less safe because automakers would have to build smaller cars in order to conform to the mandate.

This is Marketing for Bad in all its tire screeching glory.  The industry is simply asking for ridicule.  Are you telling the American consumer that the same country that put men on the moon and created the Chia Pet can’t figure out how to increase auto mileage by 40% in 13 years.  Heck, we should be able to figure out how to build Jetson-style solar-powered flying cars in 13 years. Instead of fighting this legislation, Detroit should invite the entire engineering world to help the auto makers to solve the mileage problem in a collaborative, totally transparent, Linux-like (open standards) movement. Engineers, like computer geeks, love this kind of challenge.  And if Detroit can’t solve the problem they can better start learning Japanese because I have no doubt Toyota will figure it out.

So, happy motoring this holiday weekend. Drive safe. Use your cruise control to optimize your mileage. And if you happen to hear one of Detroit’s anti-fuel standards ads, honk your disapproval.  Better yet, send them a note when you finally get out of the bad city air and into the country.

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