California vehicle standard blocks cell, radio, and GPS
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) just passed a new regulation that requires glazed glass in automobiles that is supposed to reduce the need to use air conditioning. The catch is that the same properties that block electromagnetic sunlight radiation also blocks lower frequency electromagnetic radio waves. That means radios, satellite radios, GPS, garage door openers, and cell phones will be severely degraded. Even more surprising is that it requires this glass even for jeeps that have soft covers, plastic windows, and no air conditioning. Furthermore, the rules are so stringent that they effectively make sunroofs black, even though many consumers use the covers.
Here’s some background on CARB. This is the same group of regulators who passed a controversial regulation that would require completely new diesel engines which will cause the state tremendous economic loss, and the same group who mandated the costly use of carcinogenic MTBE in California’s reformulated gasoline.
[...] George Ou at Digital Society, “California vehicle standard blocks cell, radio, and GPS“: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) just passed a new regulation that requires glazed [...]
[...] New California auto regulation aimed at energy conservation will block cell, GPS, radio signals. [...]
Good. stupid californians elect these fascist scum & so deserve what they get
They’ve made some mistakes along the way, but CARB is also largely responsible for dramatically reducing smog, which has increased the quality of life and life expectancy for many millions of Californians.
http://tinyurl.com/yk3hyak
Matt, CARB’s decision to put MTBE in my water didn’t do much good for my health and life expectancy.
Let’s suppose CARB is, in fact, responsible for the dramatic reduction in smog in California.
There is ample precedent for government bodies that accomplish something worthwhile to then seek new worlds to conquer — and end up doing tremendous harm by going outside their original mandate.
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