[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by Junction65

You make the following statement:

"the current US direction towards isolationism in the auto industry"

and then proceed to debunk your own statement in follow up posts.

Enabling domestic auto manufacturers to compete with foreign auto manufacturers on a level playing field is not an "isolationist" position. As you yourself state, foreign auto manufacturers can still build and/or sell their vehicles stateside. IF that choice is taken away then it would be a problem.

Consumers should have a choice between ICE, HEV or EV vehicles regardless of who builds them, not have limited options due to EPA/CAFE restrictions or zero emission mandates.

Level the playing field and let consumers drive demand.

I think you must be misinterpreting something I said. It is NOT allowing US automakers to compete on a level playing field because US automakers are already behind on developing new vehicle technology. The playing field is NOT level today and will become even more lopsided over the next few years. In the meantime, foreign automakers who are already ahead in many aspects can also avoid tariffs by building product here. That includes Chinese automakers.

The "isolationist" position of which I speak is tilting the regulations to reward the manufacture of "old tech" at the expense of (as opposed to in addition to) new tech. As if the US auto market is an island and as long as we are the best on the island we're all good. Fact is, everyone else is competing globally and bringing their best products here to compete against our outdated products. Just like the Japanese did in the '70s and '80s.

It's not just EV technology, but also telematics technology and anything requiring semiconductors. Everything in modern cars requires semiconductors these days. What the automobile-relevant parts of the Inflation Reduction Act did was to provide incentive for domestic automakers to invest in battery technology, minerals refinement, semiconductor technology and other technologies to get caught up to where the rest of the world, particularly China, S. Korea, and Japan are with respect to new vehicle technology. It also provided incentives for building plants to produce relevant components in the US (jobs). The US does not need to catch up with relation to engine technology. GM and Ford are both in great position there. Just look at Corvette and Mustang. But most other portions of the vehicle, like feature technologies (semi-conductors, rare earth materials) and some assembly technologies, the US is behind. IRA was a path to getting caught up.