SEMA Against Proposed Tyre Fuel Efficiency Scheme

(Akron/Tyre Review) Calling the proposed legislation “unnecessary” and potentially “detrimental to the safety of motorists and passengers,” SEMA has voiced its opposition to HR 5632, the RMA-created bill that calls for the creation of tyre fuel efficiency testing and rating system and accompanying consumer education program. HR 5632 was developed by the RMA last fall, and was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on June 20. Thus far, SEMA has been the only automotive and tyre industry group to make comment on the proposed legislation. At press time, TIA has offered no comment on the bill.

RMA crafted the proposed legislation last November in reaction to a spate of state-level efforts to mandate tyre fuel efficiency. Rather than face 50 potentially differing standards, RMA opted to offer one national program, according to a spokesman. However, a late amendment to the bill during the committee hearing prevents the proposed program from pre-empting the California replacement tyre fuel efficiency law passed in 2003.

As outlined, HR 5632 would have NHTSA create a national tyre fuel efficiency rating system – similar to UTQG – that would “assist consumers in making more educated tyre purchasing decisions,” and would require some sort of national consumer education program to explain the new system.

SEMA said the bill does not consider tyre safety and performance issues that may arise with lower rolling resistance products, and could add substantial costs to consumers that may outweigh any real or perceived fuel efficiency gains. Further, SEMA said, the bill tends to favour OE tyres as the “recommended” replacement tyres “because the program would potentially exempt OEM-selected tyres and unfairly imply that they are superior to aftermarket products.”
In addition, SEMA said, such a law could “dissuade consumers from buying tyres that may have improved performance, handling or appearance features, based solely on a rolling resistance rating. In addition, this program could easily distract consumers from focusing on more important safety issues such as tyre inflation and overloading of vehicles.”

As currently written, HR 5632 appears to exempt limited production tyres – lines of 15,000 units or less, which encompasses many classic and antique tyres.
Congressmen John Shimkus (R-IL), Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Tom Allen (D-ME) took up the bill as co-sponsors.
RMA said it notified TIA of the proposed legislation just days before the Energy Committee hearing. While at press time TIA has not made a public comment about the bill, association members involved in TIA’s TYRES Program, a proposed industry-wide checkoff program that included consumer education about tyres and tyre care, were angry that they were informed at the last minute about RMA’s plans and that the bill’s provision for a national consumer education program appears to undermine its own TYRES Program intent.

For the last three years, TIA has been working to launch TYRES – The Initiative for Research, Education and Safety – that would support consumer education, industry training and research. The checkoff program would have to be approved by Congress and by the entyre industry through a referendum, and would be funded via a fee on each replacement tyre sold in the U.S.

As a group, RMA has not supported TIA’s checkoff proposal, though some individual tyre company members have reportedly voiced their support.