Federalization

FEDERALIZATION - What an awful word! For some states this was an act of oppression which caused scars that last through today (read the Federalist Papers to see what the Government of the time was up against). For those of us humble and crazy enough to go into this car business, this word is equally repugnant. It really equates to a patchwork of regulation meant to protect us from ourselves from both a crash-worthiness and environmental degradation perspective. These are both worthy causes, but the realistic effect of the regulation is to play to the lowest common denominator and to cut the heart out of most of the exciting vehicles that might have made it to market. If all manufacturers were more self-regulating and responsive to their customers, then such federal interposition might have been less necessary, but it is here to stay.

Tomorrow, we set out on our first step to cross the "Federalization divide". I am sure it will be a long haul, but I am confident that if we keep our eye on the prize (i.e. building game-changing efficient cars and a radically better standard of customer service), that we can make the crossing.

Our first step is a working visit to one of the leading engineering services businesses in the country, which has a strong history in federalizing both theirs and others' vehicles. 

MUCH more to follow, and wish us luck!