Ghery:
Every couple of years, I rise to the level of personal expert, as I endure the local bi-annual vehicle smog inspection. Two days ago, I had my 1974 Chevy Nova tested. (It passed, as usual, with measured emissions at 3% to 10% of allowable limits, but I had to buy a new gas tank cap.) They check the hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emission levels. They look to be sure you still have all your Federally required emission systems. They check the function of engine systems like the PC valve, the exhaust gas valve and the ignition timing. Testing is performed on a dynamometer, at low & high speed. They even take off your gas tank cap and make sure it holds a vacuum. The rules are a labyrinth. California does smog checks on 1974 and newer models only. Unless your car is new, or up to a few (?) years old, and then you are also exempt. Not every county in California requires the smog checks. And in counties which do require the testing, some parts of counties are exempt. I live in El Cajon in San Diego county, but if I had a legal address in Julian (same county, just about 40 miles away) I would be exempt. (It's interesting that Julian has a huge population that uses PO boxes and never seems to be in town.) When your car is from the 70's, you periodically are notified that you are a "gross polluter" and have to get your smog check done at a special "test only" station. (This type of test station is supposed to be more honest, since they are prohibited from providing any repairs, or even advice on your car's condition, other than handing you the computer print-out.) The whole test takes about 30 minutes, with almost everything under computer control. Newer cars, with on-board computers, are being tested by connecting the station computer to the vehicle's data port. Makes you wonder how much information about your driving habits and maintenance is being stored in your car's computer. Maybe the DMV will soon be able to download speed and acceleration data. Maybe you can get a moving violation from pulling too many g's (higher gas consumption, higher emissions) or exceeding 65 MPH (maybe billed like power, in increments of MPH-minutes). Maybe ignoring your "check engine" idiot light will become a DMV felony. The ultimate step will be to equip your on-board computer with a short-range data link. Then, periodic roadway sensors can determine if you are allowed to drive under current conditions. You might be given an option to slow to 42 MPH maximum, or pay a speed surcharge, or halt until 10 PM when smog control limits relax. I'm thinking about moving to Julian. Ed Ed Price ed.pr...@cubic.com Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab Cubic Defense Systems San Diego, CA USA 858-505-2780 (Voice) 858-505-1583 (Fax) Military & Avionics EMC Services Is Our Specialty Shake-Bake-Shock - Metrology - Reliability Analysis >-----Original Message----- >From: Pettit, Ghery [mailto:ghery.pet...@intel.com] >Sent: Friday, January 04, 2002 8:28 AM >To: 'James, Chris'; 'Ken Javor'; Doug McKean; EMC-PSTC Discussion Group >Subject: RE: EMC-related safety issues > > > >Chris, > >Annual inspections of motor vehicles are done on a state by >state basis, >rather than as a national requirement in the U.S. Automobiles are >registered at the state level, so the federal government doesn't get >involved. Some states have annual inspections, others don't. >Likewise, >smog inspections are at a state or lower level. California cars get >smogged. Here in Washington it depends on what county you >live in. If air >quality in your county is good enough, you don't have to have your car >smogged. If not, you get to pay more for the privilege of >having a car. I >live in a county where I don't have to deal with the fight. > >BTW, a trick I learned when I lived in California is that you >stand a much >better chance of passing the smog test if the engine is well >warmed up when >you arrive at the inspection station. Take it for what it's worth. > >Be thankful that we don't have to have annual inspections on >our cars to the >extent that one does on an airplane... $$$ > >Ghery Pettit >Intel > > >-----Original Message----- >From: James, Chris [mailto:c...@dolby.co.uk] >Sent: Friday, January 04, 2002 1:02 AM >To: 'Ken Javor'; Doug McKean; EMC-PSTC Discussion Group >Subject: RE: EMC-related safety issues > > > >Sorry disagree about turn and brake lights not being in the same class. >Their very failure is often the reason for very serious >accidents. I have >long wished that all car manufacturers had to by law fit bulb failure >warning devices to cars (but what happens when that fails). > >In the UK it is an offence to drive a vehicle with defective lights, >(although many do). It is the driver's (not owner's) obligation to be >satisfied the vehicle they are driving is fit to be on the >road irespective >of whether it passed it's MOT the previous day. > >The UK mandatory annual vehicle inspection (MOT) for vehicles >over 3 years >old, covers seat belts, brake efficiency on a rolling road, mirrors, >windshield cracks (a 20mm, 3/4inch crack in the wrong place will fail a >vehicle), tyres, wheel bearings, gaiters, steering components, >structural >body condition, lights, smog emissions, etc....................I don't >believe airbags are tested but guess it will come, along with >the inevitable >hike in price. > >I'm surprised the US does not have a similar Federal >requirement - with all >the vehicles this is a cash cow waiting to be milked. > > >Chris > >-----Original Message----- >From: Ken Javor [mailto:ken.ja...@emccompliance.com] >Sent: 04 January 2002 02:40 >To: Doug McKean; EMC-PSTC Discussion Group >Subject: Re: EMC-related safety issues > > > >A signal light is easily replaceable in terms of time and money. Most >people don't use them (well, in good old Huntsville, AL, >anyway, where a >favorite bumper sticker reads, "Turn signals, not just for smart people >anymore"). Failure of a light is not in the same class as an airbag >deploying at the wrong time or not deploying, or ditto for brakes. > >---------- >>From: "Doug McKean" <dmck...@auspex.com> >>To: "EMC-PSTC Discussion Group" <emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org> >>Subject: Re: EMC-related safety issues >>Date: Thu, Jan 3, 2002, 7:00 PM >> > >> >> Point taken Ken, but consider signal lights. They're >> essentially safety devices and they're supposed to >> be maintained on cars which have been transferred >> amongst several owners and are decades old. >> Same idea with windshields, I guess also. >> >> - Doug McKean ------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE EMC Society Product Safety Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list. 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