the detroit one. this is more of a policy on. i assume she'll be in d.c. in the coming months. host: ralph is in north carolina on our line for democrats. ralph, you are on with david shepardson of "the detroit news ." c: yes, good morning. yes,proud of -- caller: good morning. i am proud of president obama's decision to bailout the auto and i am said some people took a loss because of it. i'm a proud african-american. japan,t live in china or and one caller spoke of charges being brought up on president obama. where is the return on my tax for the war in iraq, when we should've been given an oil check back and we would not

be in the mess we're in right now. thank you. host: ralph's comments from north carolina. twitter -- australia is losing its own auto industry. projections show 2016 will be the end of. ?hat do we know guest: the australian government has been giving subsidies to the companies to keep them in and gmia and with ford announcing they are going to withdraw production, it goes to the idea that auto production has been part of national pride. there are other intangibles beyond the direct jobs created. the country has been trying to keep production, but it is not like it will be successful. --t: from boring file clerk

why can we not just invent something better than the conventional car. this is old technology. can you talk about new technology you will look for this week? the car, the engine, is basically the same technology that was introduced 150 years ago. it has certainly gotten lighter, and we are going further. fuel-cell vehicles, those running on hydrogen fuel cells, we will see that, plug in there are a lot of alternative technologies, but with oil prices steady and expected to decline this year a little bit, there is not been as big of a push as others thought , even though sales

were up. it is still a small percentage. showing have been viewers shots of the washington auto show that runs today through february 2. we have been talking with david shepardson of "the detroit news ." rick is in ohio on our line for independents. ifler: i asked your producer they had a stock price for halliburton. before bush was elected, halliburton was going bankrupt. just got nailed for all kinds of fraud. as far as the card industry goes, i grew up in detroit in , and i0's and the 1970's have written books about the evolution of this country, and it goes back to henry ford. when henry ford gave his workers wages, a were able to buy a car

with three months wages. when you look at capitalism and 35%,detroit was all about, 40% of the workforce were union. the uaw basically created an environment where they protected tax law, trade laws, antitrust laws and banking laws. when you talk about the big three, you are actually talking an economic ideology that was based on capitalism and democracy going back to the constitution. they were creating wealth. steel, that creates wealth. you make the car, that creates wealth. the wealth, 99% of it was circulated through 95% of the people. today, the union is dead, and you can look at north versus south, union worker versus nonunion worker, union soldier , and youuthern soldier

can go back to the depression and see where henry ford actually fought the jewish bankers in the 1920's because his ideology was middle-class. the jewish bankers back then, they thought -- host: i will let david shepardson jumped in on some of the comments you bring up on the history. guest: uaw is facing difficult challenges. they have been trying unsuccessfully to unionize foreign auto plants in the u.s., and as they have not been successful as that, the lower wages of southern auto plants have basically pressured the detroit companies, which are unionized, to not pay higher wages. so, unless the uaw is successful, they have argued they do not have a long-term future. they are trying to unionize a vw volkswagen plant in tennessee and a plant in mississippi.

they still have $1 billion in the bank, a lot of political clout, and a huge role in a lot of industries, but they face a challenge with foreign companies. host: on some of the technology we're talking about earlier, james writes he and on twitter -- big trucks can now be equipped with a natural gas motor. any plans for cars to run on natural gas? guest: the honda civic runs on natural gas, and gm announced they are going to build a natural gas car in small numbers , but there are some issues in terms of the size of the fuel tanks. that is why some argued natural gas is a better solution for larger trucks and other your have -- other heavier duty term.es in the short certainly, with huge natural gas supplies in the u.s., there has been a lot of interest for adding incentives for those vehicles. in houston, texas, on

our line for independents. you are on with david shepardson of "the detroit news." caller: good morning. my question is why did chrysler stop making its best-selling pt cruiser, and why did it come up with and that designs on the minivans? was that to lower the value of the company prior to the sale? guest: i do not think i would agree that the minivans were in that. they are still the best sign in the u.s.. chrysler introduced the minivan about 25 years ago. a lot of automakers have gotten out of that sector and pushed toward smaller suvs as family haulers. cruiser, like others saw sales decline and it ended its natural length. , the from twitter

government bailed out chrysler and turned over the keys to the plan to fiat. what kind of business movies that? that?iness move is government is stupid. is any of this debate playing out on capitol hill? guest: strangely, no at the plight of auto dealers did get a ton of attention, and there have been hearings about delphi retirees. that was a former unit of gm and the retirees lost their pension benefits, but congress, in the aftermath of taking these two big losses as said well, and that was five years ago. it was a big issue during the 2012 campaign, but by and large it was more shrugging shoulders and moving on. department of transportation got a new

secretary this last summer, anthony fox. any changes in policy that he has been pushing? guest: he made his first policy speech last week here, and he talked about the auto industry and one of his issues is pedestrian safety and in fact recounted that he had been hit by a car as a jogger. pedestrian safety is a big issue. the number of fatalities has gone higher than the overall rate in 2012. he has also been dealing with lingering anxious -- lingering issues from his predecessors' 10 years including a long- require all cars to have rear cameras as you back out to prevent people from being struck. host: the highway trust fund is something he brought up. what is the status right now?

guest: it is not good. it is running out of money and congress has had to make several emergency infusions of cash for the simple reason that americans are driving less, driving more fuel-efficient cars, and therefore gas tax revenue is not keeping up with the demand for road repairs. there has been talking capitol hill about should gas taxes be raised to pay for the roads, and did endorse that i've talked about the need for more revenue. projections that he could run out of money as soon as 2015? guest: that is correct. it has not been raised, and not kept up with inflation. remember, the administration wanted to double fuel-efficient say by 2025. in the long-term, absent more gas tax revenue, it does not

appear there will be enough money to keep up with rotary pair means -- road repair needs. host: troy is in winter haven, with david shepardson of "the detroit news ." caller: good morning. these companies, ford, chevy, gm, before they went bankrupt, they had guys making $30 an hour to put a log not in, and then we bail them out, and they are doing good now. that is awesome. theirhey did not run business properly. they did not make a product people want to buy. they did not make it affordable, and now they are making profits. in my personal income, if somebody gives me a bunch of money, i am pretty sure five, six years later, i would be doing just fine. now it is time for them to be paying us back, and i'm not sure we should have help them out.

thank you. guest: the caller -- you make a point about the moral hazard. should companies that did not succeed, should the government stepped in to save them, and certainly a lot of people agree with you. the executives at gm and chrysler, they lost about two -- two thirds of their pensions. mode -- most of the top leadership was completely removed from the companies. i think you hit on a lot of .nger that a lot of people feel on the other hand, you had hundreds of thousands of workers that did not make mistakes and would have lost their jobs, health care -- the administration said yes, the top executives made mistakes, but we will not let the companies die because of that. host: on the subject of the highway trust fund that we were just talking about, a tweet from

dfw librarian -- yes, raise the to tax and put some people work to fix the roads. donna is waiting in glen falls, new york. caller: good morning. thank you for taking my call. the question is would it have been beneficial if we did a partial buyout as opposed to a full buyout? guest: in terms of the bailout? gm and chrysler? caller: yes. could we have done a partial buyout and try to have gm and chrysler, with the other half? in 2009, the obama administration opted to give gm significantly more cash than they needed because they were afraid congress would not agree to a second bailout, so they gave gm far more money than they --ded add a dash at the time

at the time. in retrospect, some of the sayout officers -- authors they could have required gm to pay more of the money back and gotten more returns. hindsight is always 2020, but there are certainly plenty of alternative scenarios where the government could have been repaid more and the company would have been saved. obviously, we will not know if those would have worked or not. host: david shepardson is the washington bureau chief of "the detroit news." to ever talking to our viewers. guest: thank you, jon. host: our next guest served as the head of the national transportation safety administration. first he want to head back to the floor of the washington auto show. you.: thank

host: electric and alternative vehicles are a big part of the washington auto show, and joins us now, bob from toyota. tell us about what you do. director of the research and the toyota north america. host: one of the things toyota vehicle.g about is a what is the concept? guest: the concept of the -- hydrogen cell vehicle. it is not dissimilar from the electric vehicle. it has zero emissions. alike an electric vehicle, or battery-electric vehicle, it has a quick refill time. and it also has a range of over

a single filling of hydrogen that would get you to philadelphia and back on one tank. went -- for the folks that would invest, would it be different? guest: hydrogen is a gas, and it would involve a station similar to a gasoline station. in southern california we have 100ted a process to deploy stations over the next, roughly 10 years with $200 million from the state of california in funding, and partners from both the industrial gas community, this date, as well as the other auto companies. thingsuest: one of the you have is an inside version of the fcv. talk about the battery, and if somebody has to replace it, how

expensive is it? guest: our battery has the fuel cell stack and the power electronics to drive the vehicle. these components are based on our hybrid systems, so we have managed to reduce the costs 95% from the original fuel cell vehicles that we developed 8, 9 years ago. so, the cost and the durability life of those components are coming down and they are in line with conventional vehicles. somebody has to fix this, what kind of costs are they looking at -- host: if somebody has to fix it, what kind of costs are they looking at? guest: those have not been operating coste will be inefficient. -- efficient. to from whatu look

washington does? creating a level playing field, and that can be from infrastructure support to actual vehicle support. whether we are looking at a battery electric technology or a fuel-cell technology, support from the public sector is equal, and it will allow consumers in the marketplace to choose the winners and the losers, not public policy. host: does the government favor one type of technology over another? guest: over the last decade, the naturalnt has favored gas, methanol, fuel cells under the bush administration, and now there is a strong focus on plug- in vehicles. we will like to see the playing field as level as possible and let the market choose. what does the government do to make that level?

started thehave process. we have incentives for both technologies. we want to make sure the incentives continue to be in place so that when the vehicles come to market there is the infrastructure and vehicle incentives for fuel cells that are currently in place. host: does the government still offer tax breaks for people that purchase these types of vehicles? yes, it can be up to $8,000. our hope is the federal government will continue to keep that incentive. , whatas far as the fcv once it hits cost market? guest: once it gets closer to market, will be able to disclose the cost. next page as the far as the world of energy and environmental issues when it auto issues -- what you

see down the road? guest: we really see fuel cells as the game changer that we are just darting out on today. over the next five-to-10 years we see this as the future. host: we're talking with bob from toyota. thank you for your time. guest: you are welcome. studio, we areur joined by david strickland, former administrator of the national highway transportation safety administration. mr. strickland, for those unfamiliar with the agency, what mr. --nhtsa do? guest: it as two missions. safety responsible for standards and behavioral safety,

trying to encourage people to wear seatbelts, not drive impaired or distracted. in addition to the safety mission, there is the mission on fuel economy. shares jurisdiction responsibility with the environmental protection agency. when you think about café standards, nhtsa has been responsible for 30 years. host: you have worked -- you worked at nhtsa from 2010-to- 2013, and "a wall -- a wall article saidl" your initiative -- your legacy -- guest: we look at a number of issues including the level of fines, our ability to reach

andrtant vehicles -- issues vehicles themselves. there was a conversation with congress, and they agreed to some of those changes, and the agency has been fortunate to have that increased authority that will pay off for the safety of americans for years to come. host: how might viewers to ignite your work at nhtsa? what were some of the major headlines? been a numberas of things the agency has been successful on in the past several years. since 2005, the agency and partners across the country have seen a reduction of 25% in the fatality number, which is significant. it is a long issue, and we resell law -- lowest number since we have been keeping 2011.s in fuel economy standards, where the passenger fleet will be doubled to approximately 54.5

miles per gallon by 2025 is a hallmark for the obama administration and the agency, along with a couple of fairly major rules the agency was able to issue during my tenure. first, injection mitigation -- when the car is struck and rolls over, making sure the car keeps people in the passenger compartment, as opposed to being thrown out of the vehicle, which increases the chance of death. also, most recently, the agency mandate to make sure all have seatbelts on board. host: agencies recently laid out rules they are looking at through the next year. what are some of the major regulatory rules that nhtsa is looking to come down the pipe in 2014? ofst: there are a number issues the agency is working on right now. one is the issue of a deck

camera -- back camera roll. i know secretary fox is passionate about that to protect children and seniors. .gencies are working very hard there are rules regarding trucks -- electronic stability control for heavy duty vehicles is also on the list of rules we are working on that will have a impact on improving the safety of the fleet, and there are a number of other issues regarding , includingafety adding sound to electric vehicles. i know a lot of folks that are out there in parking lots across andcountry, hybrid vehicles electric vehicles, one there at speeds of less than 10 miles an hour, you do not really hear them. one of the issues the agency is working on is adding the right sound so that people can recognize and electric vehicle is a car, but not having so much sound that you are creating more noise pollution.

host: essentially speakers on an engine? guest: they are looking at a number of research pipelines to do that. i do not think you will see a situation where you have a ring tone for a car, but you will have something that can be heard a long distance that is louder than a tire noise. is notrtain speed, it the engine that you hear, but the friction from the tires. there are a lot of electronic and other sounds that are pleasing, if you will. host: we are talking to david strickland, former administrator want to talkf you about some the safety issues. give us a ring. phone lines are open.

with dave in wilmington, delaware, you are on with david strickland. caller: as we look forward in the global markets and especially the asianarke and especially the asian markets for example, for $2,000 left the car like that comes to the u.s. in terms of meeting safety and cafe standards to they know the conversion cost to bring the car to market? >> host: day que for that question mr. david strickland? >> guest: state --

reckless the standards are this august to protect those occupancy and passengers and pedestrians as well. there also fairly strict but is this difficult to see the cost differential for the vehicle to be compliant but there would be a cost differential. the reason being that it faces a number of different issues different trade of pedestrian congestion and high levels of speed and we follow the data for decades to make sure they have the right elements and to reduce fatalities. then fled the differential but i am not sure what the number would be. >> host: from twitter house safe can cars the van

hackers can commandeer your smart card? >> guest: that is an important issue not only from cybersecurity but also the privacy that the department is working very hard god. but to takeover the carjacker house to have physical presence to touch the car and then be able for the cyberattacks but we are seeing even today's seven defectors can make dead and the changes to the vehicle like tesla is one that can do that included the manufacturers who will have to work very hard with this cybersecurity protection. very early in the games everybody is working very hard.

>> with this vehicle technology issue does nhtsa get involved with the deficit enough there are too many distractions with technology for drivers? >> guest: we are working through guidelines of distractions. with the interface when you get into your vehicle that there is no long stream text to re-read and the interface between two segments. it is the same as a radio that is the template. the next guideline on hand-held devices have proper guidelines and how they are connected to the vehicle is to make sure it is not too distracting and to make sure there is not a

high level of cognitive distraction. the agency is very focused to make sure while you want to have that technology in dignity instances improve safety but you have to make sure they're doing what they're supposed to be doing >> host: is there rules you cannot talk to the driver too much? >> but there is say cognitive blow to what you do to the drive for and what that is for the person whether having conversations wirelessly or things of that nature. what the data shows is when you have a passenger with you you improve safety because you have an extra set of eyes versus a person

being by themselves. >> things are very promising with the interface. >> so we are breaking on the line for independence with teeeighteen the former administrator for nhtsa. >> we met once i did the original sheet metal work in 1950. >> guest: yes are. i remember you that. >> caller: i just want to make a couple of comments. to bring up the unsung hero of seatbelts and also the other is the utilization by cars though born of faith that we have discovered

there is the best way to distribute the fuel is hall easily it is a portable am in downloadable that is what makes gasoline so good. anybody can load it in and it is portable but natural-gas or cfg is very dangerous. and very difficult. the third thing i would want to get out and i appreciate the tremendous work nhtsa has done, is that we seem to have a tendency to go will break from the basic problem that there is only one cause for action.

had anything that provides eddie in detention incidentally i wrote the original accident report for state police. but that is the biggest failing to just reduce the inattention and whether it is strunc or texting or talking. >> guest: actually you made a couple of excellent points but i will stick on the topic of see bills to lead the unsung hero of safety technology we're always focused on the future where the vehicle intervenes with a person has not made the right decision but recognizing that we're up to 87% that it is the highest ever with a huge achievement

but please recognize the fact that half of fatalities and america that people are not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. it is a huge issue in one thing we are working on at nhtsa focusing on a particular safety technology to help drive down risk factors is the seat belt to interlock something that the agency attempted in the mid '70s but withdrawn be cousin of a broad consumer backlash about technology. it was not ready at that particular time it was uncomfortable a and easily defeated and eventually rules were drawn. but now the agency's are much more elegant and number of manufacturers looked up

this as a way for verge to hopefully improve the seat belt use rate but as opposed to a mandate the agency is looking at creating the incentive. as right now part of the unbelted test because we have sold many that don't wear seat belts one of the safety countermeasure is to make the vehicle more protected for those unbelted occupants for good to have certainty everybody in the vehicle is wearing a seatbelt you don't need the unbelted test any more. so the big factors in the agency nhtsa is on a research project to create the seat belts interlock system that can be every seating position that cannot be defeated and if they choose to voluntarily used in the future they will have to use the unbelted test which would save manufacturers millions of

dollars at the same time protect everybody wearing a seatbelt. i just want to mention that. regarding distractions everybody talks about distraction as a recent phenomenon because of sulfone use but ever since the first radio blares put in the first early vehicle. a detention also doing things you should not be doing shaving, 18 -- eating a hamburger and all of these things that is a distraction and that is a long-term issues to address attention but destruction and self already crashes it is a significant issue we're undertaking that work right

now. >> host: we're talking with teeeighteen who was the administrator through 2013 at nhtsa then worked up the consumer protection subcommittee through 2009 currently working here in washington d.c. >> guest: i have the started yet i am on vacation but i boyle we working on consumer protection issues in privacy issues and ftc, as cpsc and we're very active with that in the senate also connected to the issues that i am very interested to work god. looking at an activity for the vehicle in vehicle communications and i look forward to offer solutions to get these innovations into the fleet with the i on safety in mind.

>> host: tree fort louisiana you are on with david strickland stiefel long dash. >> caller: i drive the diagram i would not trade it in for 10 electric cars. a gas cartridges three days where the electorate takes you one week. with this 88 technology that is a pile of junk i have ever seen and then they will fail again. who wants to buy the $55,000 car if you cannot go anywhere? . . bloomberg headline. vehicles havec

enormous problems, and one of the things that the fuel economy standards are aimed to do is to amount ofdiverse standards. the range is improving as the technology is getting better. also, there is extended range hybrid like the chevrolet volt, where you have an electric motor that can take you approximately 30 to 40 miles and then to be able to help you have similar with gas vehicle so they are applications along with diesel and compressed natural gas which has been mentioned a number of times on this program. the goal is not to pick a winner or loser technology. the goal is to achieve the a standard of reducing fuel use and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. and yes all vehicle pipelines regarding propulsion have risks

and electric vehicles are just as safe or even safer than gasoline-powered vehicles. they just posted difference is of a thing called thermal overrun on the battery getting too hot and things of that nature but folks have to realize that gasoline fires from crashes happen several times a day and it's tragic when it does happen but it's not imposing this new risk or heightened risk. it's a similar risk with a different set of chemical factors and they are very safe to drive. along with a number of technologies. it's good to have that kind of consumer choice. >> host: to wayne's from louisiana are electric cars catching on? >> guest: they are and they think what you're seeing is a number of successes across the manufactures offering these vehicles. you have you know several vehicles that are at lower price points like the chevrolet spark as an example and all the way

through luxury brands such as catalyst er which i know something is very oldish and the tuscola model which is done very well. >> host: let's go to steve waiting in oklahoma on our line for republicans. good morning. you are on with david strickland former administrator with nhtsa. >> caller: good morning mr. shetland. >> guest: good morning. >> caller: i'm a former truck driver with -- which you probably greatly know. they really push safety a lot there. they really do push safety for the drivers which is hard for thousands of drivers. also i see your former administrator. a lot of countries which take

advantage of our countries before 5:00 on a friday. certain places like north of memphis i would get stuck with a load in the next place i was have a scale and a waystation and i i had no truckstop traded they would say it's probably about 39,000 then i found out it was overloaded and overweight late on friday. it should be the company that put it on their not to put on the driver shoulders because it wasn't their fault you know? >> host: help us understand what the caller was talking about their. >> guest: sure. there's a thing called service rules and driver responsibilities in terms of making sure your vehicle is

properly weighted in making sure the vehicle is an overload of which has impacts on the roadways and the highways. the one interesting thing and i think the caller for the great question that we have several modes that are responsible for different things in the department of transportation. nhtsa is responsible for passenger cars and heavy-duty vehicles in terms of the actual standards for crashes. there's another fantastic agency led by administrator anne pharaoh called the fair motor safety of which deals with professional driver issues and safety in making sure that drivers have, are not on the road too long and making sure that there are inspection stations and her staff is across the country to assist and make sure trucks are compliant with flaws and making sure that drivers are not being taken advantage of. the federal safety commission does a fantastic job and they have great leadership. the driver fled the number of

issues that they are focused on. >> host: we talk about regulations on distractions for drivers. file clerk writes in on twitter i would be happy if you could mandate that people not sing in their car. what regulations will be put in place that will keep fuel cell save from explosions? >> guest: there's a thing called it local technical -- several come together to try to harmonize regulations so that there are fewer differencdifferenc s between safety standards between the countries improves the level of safety which is always the first goal. it also helps in terms of the efficiencies for manufactures. these are important when you have new technologies when you don't have higher work done.

there is a fuel cell save the global technical regulation that was just approved a few months ago in geneva and the national highway traffic safety administration was one of the leaders in formulating that particular technical revelation. that has to come back to united states and a regulation here in united states through a formalized process that we are moving forward on working on hydrogen safety and its important work and i'm excited to reach that milestone on addressing that issue. >> host: how long until the regulation goes to the pipeline in united states? >> guest: is going to take some time. the regulatory process the government has to be very careful and thoughtful and advice takes time. i would hazard a guess it would probably take a handful of years from initiation to completion of the fact is the united states and a lot of the research work behind the hydrogen global

technical regulation so hopefully they will get it moved out in a handful of years. >> host: joseph is next from cleveland ohio on our line for democratdemocrat s. joseph good morning. >> caller: good morning. >> host: you are on with mr. shetland. go ahead. >> caller: my question is why do we still have cars with router realtor i've? if you are in arizona and you get snow or ice that's one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. why don't we just make a standard where the cars are either all-wheel-drive or for world drive? i have never wanted to be beside a car that skidded out because they are rear world drive. >> host: mr. shetland a snowy day in washington d.c. for that

question? >> guest: is actually a great question. the one thing the manufactures and the regulars have to make sure is that you maintain consumer choice because applications are different for different vehicles and rear will drive vehicles on snowy winter days are not necessarily a high success in making sure they don't get stuck. there are choices for people to buy four-wheel or all will drive vehicles or you have vehicles which differentiate different levels of torque and will spend individual wheels depending on how the vehicle is stuck and is stuck and you have front wheel drive cars as well. you leave it up to the particular driver to figure out what's the best technology. they all have different price points and advantages and disadvantages and you don't necessarily want to take something away and say you can only have all will drive vehicles the united states. host go we have been showing shots from the washington auto show this morning as part of our

program on "washington journal". that show running today through february 2. a lot of new technologies being showcased at that show. i want to ask you on the governments position on driverless cars and wear this white house stance on that issue. >> guest: it's amazing technology and i never want to jump to the endpoint of the fully automated vehicle that doesn't require a human being's interaction. that's a long way off but there are so many advantages which are the elements, things like crash imminent breaking weather radar system will pick up the fact do you are driving too fast and will apply the brakes for you or keeping you between the lane lines or blind spot detections. all of those things are elements to think about for driving. the obama administration and the department of transportation are very supportive of this

innovation because we have truly moved to a new era in traffic safety. for over 40 years nhtsa has been focused on a thing called crashworthiness and how well it car protects you when you get into a crash. during the four years that i was blessed to service administrator the agency has turned a corner to look at the new northstar for safety which is how the car can avoid the crash from happening. a cornerstone to that are the technologies that lead up to that. the agency issued a statement of policy for hybrid vehicles to help support testing regimes to support the manufactures who develop these active safety systems and trying to figure out a way to encourage manufacturers to provide more vehicles and that work is underway with avoidance and mitigation which is part of the agency's

technology division and other elements which are so important for the future and frankly to make sure that we have the day where you don't have a vehicle that is capable of being crash. i think it's a wrong stretch goal and a laudable one and something the agency wants to support. >> host: as we talk about future technologies before the segment you mentioned there has been some work on flying cars. >> guest: actually yes, we had a conversation waiting for the day for flying cars to happen. actually there is a flying car. it's called the tara future to and they applied for the national highway traffic safety commission for -- there is such a thing as a flying car. >> host: how many of these other out there? >> guest: i don't know how many. i can imagine there being a ton of them but when you think about all the things in the future that everybody thought about cars when you see those 1950s world's fair and expos

driverless cars being one of them in flying cars being one of them with the night writer kit whether your vehicle has a relationship of the conversation. it used to be far-flung fantasy but there are elements of all these coming into the fleet right now. very funny and some elements and very exciting. >> host: let's go to drew waiting in new jersey on our line for democrats. good morning. >> caller: hey good morning and thanks to c-span for this important subject and mr. strickland who comes across as an excellent example of -- >> caller: fully electric vehicles which relies on battery technology why didn't the government create a standard for batteries so replacement batteries could be available? it could've been his simple as removing battery cells and you

are on your way. even if he didn't replace all the batteries why not have an option to connect some to extend the range? my understanding is batteries in a car weighs 300 pounds and maybe having a few that weigh 20 pounds. the distance issue would have been eliminated and the adoption could have been better. can you speak to that issue? >> guest: i can a little bit. the interesting thing about nhtsa's responsibilities and jurisdiction and its safety jurisdiction and a design jurisdiction if you will. if you leave it up to the manufactures and the suppliers to come up with technologies that come on the cars and the question is it safe or does that technology pose -- so different battery configurations and ability to changeup batteries is purely a decision made by the manufacturer. the one thing that nhtsa is working on right now isn't

upgrading or approving of vehicle the standard which is battery safety which is how well the battery is protected in the event of a crash to make sure especially electric vehicles when you have a larger battery with a larger and wider footprint of the vehicle that it doesn't get in the traded necessarily or if it does get penetrated it doesn't go to overrun is with the sessional terminus. all those particular variants we will be talking about making sure there are safing client standards but with that the manufactures to build it to do different things for battery packs. there was one technology company that was looking at that is having a battery change in a leased vehicle and then you havs needed. it was like a razor blade in a razor model where they sell you

the razor handle for less money. i know there are is technology companies looking in that configuration but nhtsa is focused solely on its security. >> host: let's go to jimmy on our line for independents. good morning. >> caller: good morning. how are you guys doing? i want to know should it be my right to wear seatbelts are not? you have all these motor south there that don't have helmets on and on school bus is the only that's wearing a seat eltis the driver. i'm in a car with air bags and drive several hours. i weigh over three and a pounds and it's very uncomfortable. if i take the seatbelt off i get a ticket. >> host: mr. sure clint? >> guest: wearing a seatbelt is so important. that's the one thing that publicly best predictor of ability to survive the crash and the reason why he nhtsa has

worked so hard it is it's the most effect safety countermeasure of almost any vehicle. i definitely understand who have a particular right to not wear seatbelt but you look at the societal and individual impact. not wearing their seat out when you have that crash you may not go home to your family and we feel it's very strongly and encouraging seat note usage is the best thing you can do. that's number one. >> host: the callers concerned about the inconsistencies and bringing up kids on school buses and that sort of issue. >> guest: that's a great point. when you're looking at school buses, school bus travel for children is the safest means to get your child to school. not. unfortunately school bus crashes we lose unfortunately eight to 10 children a year.

basically only one or two of those children are lost because the crashes inside the bus. the other eight or nine children are usually victims of being struck outside of the us when people run through the stop placard that is extended. so you are looking at hundreds of thousands of miles of bus travel and virtually only one or two children losing their lives. the reason is because of the countermeasures you have around the school bus making sure the speeds of the vehicles and the vehicles is stop around them. the most important value is to make sure there are as many school buses is possible to carry children. the reason why the agency has not mandated seat else on school buses is because it increases the cost of buses approximately three to $8000 per bus which ultimately means there are fewer buses available which means if you now put more children in passenger cars which increases the risk of crashes and fatalities.

this is one of these things where the optics of the situation versus a real-world data don't match up. you have a thing called compartmentalization with a school bus benches are configured so that they hold the children tightly and there's lots of padding and cushioning and that's the countermeasure to make sure that if there is a crash that children don't have a bad outcome in the crash. it's been very effective. the decision the agency made is for safety. children in school buses are the safest. if we take the moore's take away school buses we are possibly going to hurt and possibly kill more children. that is why we cc'ed else in every vehicle and why you see school buses this point in time not having them. on the other hand the agency din choice if they want to mandate seatbelt, school buses, they can do so. every state has the ability to do that but that's the reason why you have the contrast

between a passenger vehicle and the, passenger travel versus the safety of school buses. >> host: let's go to chris waiting in new haven connecticut on our line for them at us. good morning. you are on with david strickland the former administrator of nhtsa. >> caller: good morning david and good morning john. a little over 100 years ago with these individual vehicles, mass transit is the answer. put the seatbelts on school buses and put seatbelts on trains. put seatbelts on buses. the only vehicle that you showed from the vehicle show in d.c. was a bus. it's the only thing that appealed to me. i think we have accidents because there are so many drivers. we have traffic reporters on every station now because we have accidents on every highway every morning or our roads.

we just can't be trusted to drive. we just don't know how to do it. we need less drivers, less distractions, more accountability and responsibility on the part of the drivers. we need to take cars off the roads can keep them away from trucks. trucks cause a lot of accidents with cars. cars cause a lot of accidents with trucks. put them on buses. put them on trains. put them on airplanes. make them all wear seatbelts and i think we will all be a lot safer. thanks. >> host: mr. sure clint your thoughts? >> guest: absolutely. the obama administration and the department of transportation, issues of mass transit and pedestrians and getting more people to walk and bike really is the safest way is to get people from place to place. individual mobility will never go away and the united states will have to work hard to make sure his safest it can be but

the callers have slowly write. mass transit has so many benefits. not only for safety but also fuel economy and fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas in so many other benefits. the federal transit administration led by peter rogoff who is now one of the acting undersecretary transportation selected in that position recently worked very hard over the past four years to really improve transit to make it more expansive and also to improve safety. the federal transit demonstration demonstration is a safety authority talking about countermeasures and crashes. i'm not sure about seat else in terms of trains and buses but the one thing you want to achieve is the highest level of safety. having choices is all part of the mix. the caller made a good point. we have gained so many benefits.

>> host: is talking about safety issues the subject on the front page story of today's "usa today" money section talking about small cars and their ability to pass crash testing if i can data talk about this issue. the crash test they are talking about here in this article is the small overlap crash test in which a car hits a barrier with the front drivers side corner at 40 miles per hour and 11 cars te test by the insurance institute for highway safety. >> guest: the small overlap test is a very severe test and to sort of help the viewer visualize what that is as opposed to for years in a frontal crash it literally had the car running directly into a wall or barrier but the data showed more likely what you see is cars actually clipped each other over the corners of the bumper like many of the person, over the center line and clip

you. that is a very severe crash and unfortunately it also means there is usually severe injuries and fatalities coming from that. the insurance industry has worked on this test to replicate that crash to encourage manufactures to beef up their crashworthiness to improve outcomes. as you are working through the fleet currently that are designed to do with this type of crash or will have the results you are seeing in the article where you have a lot of nickels that are passing. then national highway traffic safety if is working on a similar crash called an offset crash test which is a variant of what the insurance institute is doing. what you are going to seeing the future is you will see a lot of vehicles that don't do well on the tests in the beginning but his new vehicles, mine you will see performance improved. >> david strickland the former administrative nhtsa we appreciate you drop -- stopping by at the "washington journal" today.

and we come back we will open up our phone store viewers and ask in you in the last 30 minutes of the washington journal is the lesson to shriek in the u.s. the best in the world? our phone lines are open but first we want to bring you back to the floor of the washington auto show. >> we have moved to the chevrolet section of the auto show and as you can see on your screen one of the standouts here the chevrolet stingray for 2015. we will take a look but we are here to talk to somebody. he is the head of consumer affairs for gm. how would you describe your job to people? >> guest: a fantastic as jim. i stand between industry and the consumer. i used to work or kelly blue book so while i work for general motors i'm based in southern california and i keep an eye on the business and find out what the trends are and what is cool like the corvette and make sure consumers are coming back to the

marketplace. what you are seeing more and more are people aware of what is happening. >> host: does washingtwashingt on have a hand in gm and what would you tell consumers as far as the washington investment out of gm and what they got out of that? >> guest: the easiest way to explain it is there's an old witch in the business that there's no problem but a good car won't fix. we see the awards that we are winning at the detroit auto show the corvette was the north american car of the year in the silverado the truck of the year. i know these journalists to give these awards and they are a tough crew. the fact that we have vehicles that are capturing the imagination and the excitement of the judges and the journalists but more importantly consumers. the easiest way i can say this once upon a time when i was with kelly blue book someone would say oh i bought a chevy and i bought a ford and that bothered dodge. you must have got a good deal of them. jump ahead five years later it's oh no check out this buick. it writes great or look at the

way this volt technology works. the game is completely changed and is put the imports and strong notice. >> host: would you say gm is a different company and how it's run? >> guest: i've been with general motors for three and a half years. what i see is really two different groups of people. those that have been there before the trouble came in myself -- like myself became after. there's an attitude where we are not doing things the old way. if somebody says anything it goes back so it's a much different philosophy focused on making vehicles that we can be proud of driving. as an employee of general motors i get a gm company car to drive. i want to have a good time. that's important stuff especially in the car business which is connected to an emotional appeal and rational two.

fuel efficiency gm is doing great work. >> host: i have spread out his force the total line. guess who is the requirement of doing business today with the café and emissions regulations in other parts of the world if you want to be in the car business you have to address it. in the case of the stingray it has a 6.2-liter v-8. four cylinders will turn themselves off and you roll along as a four-cylinder and we need the power everything lights back up again. >> host: one of the things that was influenced by the bailout was the bowl. where are you as far as the volt is concerned? >> guest: the fold was on our drying books before the child he now it's been on the farc it -- market. the volt is that at first page in a long chapter of what's going on with the car business. the technology is on board and

the fact you can plug in and drives the vast majority of the time fully electric or when you need to go further distance driving to super bowl party you don't have to worry about him last on the side of the road. that's it knowledge is, on to the washington showing you will see other vehicles in the future. the fold, have me on your show in five years and we will look back and say that is where it all began. >> host: how much influence does washington have now on the operation of gm? >> guest: to be blunt it had very little influence. they would send us up to say make good cars and be of good business. that is what the company set out to do. .. s from the detroit auto show. fantastic. i think what she is going to

capture is the fact that you've peopleocused group of inside g.m. now that love being part of the car business that into want to slide back old habits. if you're a guy like me, the effect that i can come in and perspective, i can shake it up a little bit. that is kind of a new thing, and fact that that outside view i think mary will be very receptive of that. a companyd you had car. do you get a sting ray? >> i don't yet, but i'm going to soon.o i get to drive them on occasion. no, i think having that in my the most fun. be >> james bell with general motors, head of consumer afs, thank yor >> james, thank you so much great head of consumer affairs at general motors. thank you for your time. remap my pleasure and thank you. >> back in our capitol hill studio, we are opening up our phones to you in the last half-hour of the "washington journal" today. we have asked you this question,

is the u.s. auto industry the best in the world? we want to hear your thoughts and comments and we are separating our lines little bit differently as we do that. and the phone number is (202)585-3880. and if you don't own a car, it's 202-58-5388 to. our phones are open ended euphonium, we want to redo a little bit from market watch and there is a chart right there. shilling for 2009 to where it is today. still below where it used to be. but rebounding significantly from 2009. they accounted for 46%

outselling the japanese and korean competitors climbing to 15.6 million. the highest level in six years. i want to show you some stats from "the new york times" piece from last week on the european auto market. the annual decline of 1.7% in the european market was smaller than some had anticipated. the december gain of 13.3% from a year earlier was the biggest monthly increase since 2009. the new car registrations totaled about 12 million vehicles for the year. the smallest number since 1995. and they had about half as many countries. we are asking you about the u.s. auto sector. do you think it is the best in the world? if so, why not? one other thing i want to show you is the washington times has an entire section dealing with the washington auto show and

part of that is separate user capitol hill on to the auto industry in different parts of the auto industry. here's the congressman's comments on the american auto manufacturing industry. representing the second district there. it is leading the renaissance in manufacturing and leading that charge. and it is the best america has to offer. throughout the great recession in 2007 and 2008. we saw vehicle production dropped 50% in two years. but it began to bounce back producing a .7 million vehicles in recouping 100,000 jobs with great progress. but there is much more work to do.

and charles is in haworth california. and we are going to spend so much amount of money to generate these cars in the look that we are going to have cars with tanks that hold 10,000 pounds of hydrogen. and i just don't understand where this is going to go. >> guest: henny think anything this compares to the u.s. auto industry? >> caller: the primary core of this technology for the past

decade has been a huge investment of all kinds of stakeholders. so the investment for cars has been absolutely horrendous. the total number of these cars in california is approximately two to 300 total vehicles and we are spending $20,000 per car and putting in the hydrogen fuel stations were the people that drive the car will get free fuel. so how was is that going to work in the marketplace? that seems to be putting the united states at a disadvantage in this overall market. putting all of these concentrated efforts on the hargis and hydrogen fuel situation. and that doesn't make any sense to me at all. >> host: looking at the washington auto show. more than 700 new makes and models from over 42

manufacturers are going to be on display at the walter washington convention center not far from capitol hill. we are asking you if the best in the world want to get your thoughts and rhonda is waiting in vancouver, washington. rhonda, good morning. >> good morning. >> you are on the "washington journal." >> my question in regards to your article is how it fares in my question is can you find out whether that was an electric spark or the internal combustion engine spark? because i think people would be surprised. i have to corvettes and they get 30 miles per gallon and electric cars get to 32 mouse per kilowatt. to that is my question. thank you for taking my call.

>> guest: that is in u.s. aid today money section. in the test in which a car is hit on the drivers front side corner at 40 miles per hour. the spark was the one that had the acceptable ratings and it doesn't say anymore any more about what the specific model was tested. but that is in today's money if you want to read about it. we have someone in mount victory ohio that is here with us. good morning. >> good morning, john. it was kind of a coincidence here that i have an american car and it's kind of a coincidence that just when you show the right front and with some damage on it that is exactly what i did

hear a little while ago. i wasn't going fast or anything, but i did hit a pole and it did considerable damage to the car. but i can't say about whether it is the best in the world. >> you had a real good show and i also wanted to say about the very tiny size and the magnitude of the controls of the car. the radio when the heater and all the other things. you can push your button with the mirrors and everything else. too many buttons and two small.

especially if you are getting a little bit longer until we thank you. >> the creams are even producing better looking longer-lasting less-expensive vehicles. and we want to get your thoughts on this question. we have joseph who is waiting in massachusetts. he owns a foreign car. what kind of car do you own? >> i own a bmw. the last few cars have been bmw

that i own. but the difference i would say of buying them in the show room, i remember my last purchase of a domestic car and i drove off and i had a terrible time and i would say that the biggest challenge that the u.s. car industry has his finding that success for the consumer when they are going to buy a car. >> host: also on facebook, we have a comment that i have only driven american and german cars and german cars are amazing to drive. bmw, audi, mercedes comes to mind and ronald writes in on our twitter page that the more intrusive that the government gets into the auto industry, the more that it fails.

donnell is waiting in maryland. he owns an american car. what kind of car do you own? >> caller: we have been at 150 and america does not make the best cars. and the chevy volt is not their gm shot at this set of cars. and so they crushed it. they had all of that technology at the out the forefront. but they didn't want the technology to get out of the people. we were just talking about this with local states about american cars. chrysler, for example. and it might be an okay car if it has a lot of horsepower, but that design looks like something that should've been out 20 years ago. you might as well make it look good. just because it's an expensive doesn't mean that it doesn't

have to look good. so this is not the first shot of gm. they did it 20 years ago. and they didn't want the technology to get out. toyota and honda jumped on it and that is why they are at the forefront right now. so gm will have to rectify that problem. >> host: this is u.s. car sales as you might imagine. it was having the best change in percentage in terms of sales and gm of 2013 overall. i've just under 10%, ford is up 10%. chrysler is up just under 10% as well. toyota is also up in the united states and volkswagen and volvo and hyundai. losing market share in 2013. so that is courtesy of the

financial times. if you want to read more on u.s. car sales on their core technologies and business page, and let's go to jim and tennessee. he owns a foreign car. what do you think. >> caller: i'm still very upset about the fact that they turned to the government to bludgeon the tax holders out of money to bail them out. plus the nonsense that is going around that the bailout save the auto industry and the employees, bankruptcy doesn't take the company and curl it up into the midair. it allows them and they did go through bankruptcy. but the government stepped in and saved the union at the cost of the bond holders and we have

certain rules in bankruptcy court that were thrown out in the government saved the employees because they could vote. and i will never own a general motors car or a chrysler creditors because of that. >> jonathan richfield, ohio. and so a car made by a uaw car,

you buy a car you know that they are going to have a good income with benefits and safety. everything is in place. and every time you buy an american car coming help the community. and that is something that shows the quality has been improved vastly. >> host: have you always owned an american car? >> caller: yes, general motors and i went chrysler. >> host: martha is in charleston, south carolina. what kind of car do you own? >> good morning. my husband drives nissan and i

drive a cadillac. our family is split. here we are in charleston and all you see are big ships putting these on the water back to germany, i guess. but our family split. we are retired and i think that a lot of families in the united states would buy used cars like we do. and you despite your best deal. both nissan and the cadillac. >> host: bert smith says you're going to compare american-made cars and ask that as a serious question? and comparison i would say that we are least for the best. let's go to thomas waiting in berlin.

good morning. >> caller: the question that you asked, is it the best vehicle, my point is that it will be problematic because everyone is looking for different things in a vehicle. my personal opinion is overall by far americans are the best. and now if we could figure out a way -- and here's my problem with the american vehicles and others. the more you save an economy and fuel costs, the less taxes you are paying. and less taxes you're going to spend in. so then the more they have to raise the taxes and the people that produce the cars and the

americans by far build the best cars. and i i've worked on many german machines and other ford vehicles. the technology nearly 80, notes that generation y is nearly

80 million strong and generation will buy 40% of new cars by 2020. ages 19 to 36.re they'reey notes that three times more likely than their parents to abandon car costs escalate according to that deloitte survey and more than half of said they expect to drive a vehicle with an alternative engine such as a hybrid electric. go to j.r. in woodlawn, .ennessee caller: i believe it's still one of the best in the world, it's as what itt what s used to be. have hurt theions car industry.

you go buy a brand-new car today and it costs almost as much as brand-new house costs you, and not quite, but very close to it. and so i believe the unions are the main reason why a car costs .o much i believe that the idea that ford didn't take a bell out but the others did -- a bailout, yet the others did, is pretty amazing. and i think that people ought to be asking that. g.m. took a bailout and they to have one,ght well, why, information didn't get one. you.at's my comment, thank host: carol says i have had had id american and foreign cars, prefer foreign cars, my infinniti is the best car i've ever had. own a in alaska doesn't car, alfred, good morning to you, your thoughts on the auto

industry. caller: hello. my whole message is really that reason why they went to no speed bumpers is because they wanted it to fold up like an savedion on both ends and lives somehow. but i partially agree that bumpers should some cases at strong bumper. a host: okay, al free calling in from alaska today. hero joe on our question of is the u.s. auto industry the best in the world, is no such thing as buying american. every car is made from things the world. all are world cars. let's go to steve in seattle, washington, steve owns an american car. steve, good morning. the q. washington journal." caller: good morning. question was, is it comparing

artery -- ferrari, their standards are far above ours, then you can go to have anyre they don't standards, or they're far below ours. i believe the question is, is the industry better, not whether the car is better. our industry is fine, but we're nowhere near the germans as far as our what we people, what their environmental benefits are. calling in from washington. we want to you keep calling in, we'll keep talking with this "the washington journal." but we want to take you back quickly to the floor of washington auto show, and now.you live there >> we're in the lower level of the washington auto show joined cogan, the publisher of

the green car journal. welcome. >> thank you. givesry year this journal out an award, most awards deal with the wheels and looks. your award, though, deals on a different level. tell us bit. >> it's the green car technology award. of the do the green car year, that focuses on the vehicle. technologieson the that enable these vehicles to do what they do so well. unsung heros of the advanced technology vehicles on the show floor. when what do you look for you're judging the unsung heros? >> we're looking for things that efficiency,reater or better interaction between a speaks and a driver that to higher efficiency, alternative fuels, hybrid power plug-in power trains, things that give a vehicle the have lower co2 emissions, lower tailpipe emissions, higher fuel efficiency. >> several models out hire, a porsche, but also a cadillac than most, whynt is that?

>> it's a cadillac elr, it's an extended range electric car, it runs on electricity for the so, and, 37 miles or then the on board internal generator creates electricity that powers the electric motors, so it's unique is an electric car but there are no limitations you're going greater distances, you you put fuel in the tank, it generates electricity on bore. >> seems like we've seen a move away from the boxy types of vehicles that we used to, a lot of interesting body designs out there. what does that say about the future of this market? >> it isn't just about efficiency, it's about creating buy,les people want to that's the thing. so if you have a vehicle that's boxy that's unattractive yet offers great environmental performance, it's going to be sold in much more limited numbers. have taken this mainstream. they've made the vehicles wonderful vehicles that drive really well, but just happen to get extremely high fuel

efficiency or drive on fuels, that's the win. >> so as far as washington is here, doesince we're washington have a role in all this? >> yeah, i mean, washington really spurred a lot of activity the higher cafe corporate average fuel economy by 2025, fleet wide average has to be 54.5 miles per gallon. huge, i mean that's a huge step from where we are now, and there are increment al steps along the way. that has driven a lot of innovation, because auto makers have to meet that goal. are complaining or have been complaining of what it costs to do that, in the end goal and we'reat seeing amazing vehicles coming out on the road to that goal. are thejournalist, things that washington has done maybe not so good in this market? >> there's plenty of things hasn't done well in this market, i think. but i try to look at the cafeive things, and that's increases and fleet average, that's a good thing. for electric drive

vehicles, that's a good thing, althoughthe market, that can only stay in place so ing and should only stay place so long. but all these moves by washington are spurring inmo vagues in the auto industry. to go back to the investment in advanced vehicles, advanced technology manufacturing, some things have worked out well, worked out have not well, but the industry is better for it. and drivers are better for it, that investment has come from washington over the years. >> one more question. porsche, aa cadillac, what are the price guzzlingto their gas counterparts? >> they're ways more expensive, lithium ion batteries are more expensive. some speak to the regular line, the 3.0-liter tdi that'siesel engine, maybe, maybe $5,000, or it's a small number higher than the but it getscle, exceptionally high fuel

efficiency and great performance. ones like the porsche, well, you expensive to are begin with, so a $100,000 porsche that happens to be electric makes sense. a slightlways increase, but not so much in ones like the honda accord hybrid, the plug-in is a little more. but they're always a little more expensive. >> ron cogan, the publisher of the green car journal also award here at the auto show, thanks for your time. on.ppreciate you having me host: and that's the washington place throughng february 2, some 700 new makes display from over 42 manufacturers. we've been giving you interviews morning from the floor of the auto show. but we've got a few minutes left in the "washington journal" today to have our viewers answer question. u.s. auto industry, is it the

best in the world? a few meant on our facebook sharon says do we still have a u.s. auto industry as it outsideey are all may the u.s. and jim says below that, seems industry, my kia is more american made tonight fords and gm's. on twitter, the u.s. industry is best now, but have always bought u.s.a., don't own when they make what i want and can afford will buy american always. to audrey waiting in hixon, ten seen on our line for american made cars. audrey, what model car do you own? own the 99, we bought new 99 monte carlo. and the transmission went out, the paint started peeling off, other started to happen to the car, it wouldn't pull a hill,

okay. then 14 year ago, it is won't run.l still won't run at all. we have called the consumer affair, we wrote them numerous letters, we've done everything our power about this car. and we can't seem to get any help. all they owe us is $40,000, for's all we was asking what we paid for the car. host: audrey, how has this feel aboutmade you owning an american car? caller: oh, lord, you just don't know. you don't know how i feel about this car. every time i look at it, it just turns me stomach. to think it was a beautiful and dream.the car of his he loved it, black on black, he it.d host: audrey calling in from tennessee. we've got a few minutes for hear your comments on the u.s. auto industry.

do you think it's the best in the world? is in wading river, new york, owns a foreign car. good morning. there. hi, host: go ahead. caller: good morning, yes, i truck, i had a 2001 chevy s10 that i kept right lasttil springtime of year. when all the bailout stuff was a lot of the union and their rules and compensation packages were in the national started hearing about people who when there was nothing for them to do they were up forxpected to show work and they were paid to sit in the break room all day. now, i'm a contractor, i run a small business, we don't have a lot of guarantees and my men do very dangerous work. when there's no work or bad weather, we don't work, and around.ays us to sit so i opened up my mind to buying foreign, and when i started around last spring for a new vehicle, nobody was really making small pickup trucks any more, the s10 wasn't made. i decided i was not going to buy

really makingn't anything. so i had toyota and i had nissan. and i went out and i bought that nissan, why should i be expected to be loyal to g.m., because i'm going to work for my money and give to it a guy that's being paid to sit in the break so i bought a niece soon frontier, and let me tell you, it's twice the truck that chevy great vehicle.a host: matt calling in from new york talking about his experience. facebook page, the u.s. auto industry might be currently the best in the world in our minds, however when the make it here another recession or worse is way.g our and average american writes in on our twitter page, if you count the cars made by american companies in mexico and canada, then the american car industry in themost confused world. let's go to remy in baltimore, maryland, owns a foreign car.

on. morning, you're caller: good morning, thanks for a couple call, just quick comment. i have a '91 volvo, 240. was a vw passat. and what i've noticed over the is basically what the three manufacturers did, general motors, ford and chrysler, if look back, you've got ford because volvoolvo wasn't getting a market share i guess back in the 90's, and into thewas running same problem. and the problem they were running into was that these automobile manufacturers were too rough, but information managed to take chrysler took and mercedes, and showed them how to these automobiles where ory become either perceived

obsolescent in order to get that market share back. and you see that take place even, the manufacturers of the american automobiles, they tot to take and continue build automobiles that you're going to be going out and replacing, either because you perceive it to be obsolete or it becomes obsolete because of the computer technology that goes into it. remy from baltimore. john is calling in from illinois our line for folks who own american made cars. john, good morning. caller: good morning. host: your thoughts, is the u.s. auto industry the best in the world? are.r: yes, they for 13 '94 silverado years, i sold it and bought all had a prompto, i with the instrument clusser and the dealership said -- an, andk had low mile they said i was out of my time frame on the warranty but the mileage was good. motors, toldeneral them and they backed it up, they

problem. of the and i was glad for that, general motors stood behind their product. thing is i'm an electronics technician and i computers.motive these people are buying to the technology that america does. trucks use ford computers. toyotas use general motors computers. lamborghinis use chrysler trucks use board don't realize computers. lamborghinis used chrysler computers. people do not realize that foreign trucks and cars use the shirttails of american technology. host: our last caller today on the "wa >> on the next washington journal a look at challenges.

>> new in-car technology is steadied, internet access with traffic systems and navigation systems. up next, a look of the features of "connected cars and self-driving automobiles. representatives from toyota, and the affordable auto makers' association.

the summit in las vegas. this is an hour. [inaudible conversations] >> welcome, everybody. there appear enjoy your first day, although it is the official first a. al will be the moderator for today's channel. before we start the introductions and a full discussion we have some opening remarks, and i want to introduce the next speaker, kind of riding shotgun were things for about four years now. kind of a revolution in what is ben dahlia blimpie of libya and the street fair reelected please welcome david strickland. this. >> thank you so much. this is a superstar panel. i will, of the stepping down

from my post as administrator and a couple of weeks, but i wanted to share a couple of perspectives briefly. that mental five minutes, and that will keep to it. we first began i worked to love might distraction, starting really interest in 2009-10. i remember my decision to make sure i came to csn size as part of the regular other show toward . it would become the fourth major of a shot american. and gary shapiro and sca and manufactures recognizing that car companies are now largest car companies, we really aren't technology companies because they're is a convergence. with convergences possibility an opportunity in terms of where we

are, all we have seen, and where we will go so, i am incredibly happy to see this as many partners are now talking to each other which was in the case of that long ago where you have wireless providers and hand-held manufactures and automakers and system platform providers, android, windows, i/o s, actually now in strategic partnerships in figuring out ops fcc waste board. speaking of which -- [laughter] i wish i said i had planned that, but i really did not. that is all good. i will tell you that from the part of the agency as it deregulated and other regulatory bodies that will be a part of

the space in partnership since become a federal communications commission, federal trade commission, we have only one chance to get this right. so i implore all of the to continue in their path of another only communicating at the level you're talking, but, frankly, building a broader the times that we see in the future of connectivity, and it's connectivity at large. vehicle to vehicle connectivity that we are working and that the agency level, connecting the driver to the vehicle, connecting the driver to the outside world and help begin in may all of these things safely. i will tell you, the one thing that will disrupt all of this, our hope in vehicle to be good communication, active safety systems, or push for technology through significant as in this initiative or we're focusing on increasing bellevue's for seat belt interlock, looking at trying to eliminate joint

driving by having a vehicle recognize whether you're over the limit in reducing human error which is part of 90 percent of all traffic crashes. the hope of reducing traffic fatalities to two dozen people, five dozen people is also technological. but we will not attain it if we don't address privacy and data. we are in this sensitive time. the power and everything we are relying on will not be attained if consumers don't trust the work of the regulators or the work of industry. so my last official request is that this administrator at the consumer electronics show says is we have to do more, be better, and do it faster. the agency is in a position right now or i have always said

we follow the notion of what wayne gretzky's dad said to him. don't go with the puck is to me after your the puck is going. we have to do that, and we will. i have a strong team that will continue that work, but everyone has a responsibility. we will all these goals. we have to make sure that we have the trust of the american people for all these wonderful innovations that is my hope and that is my wish all the partners of the past four years and africa made this the most and every time that any administrator has ever had an office. i want to say that you guys really have the ability to do god's work. keep talking, planning, innovating and please keep saving. spam date you very much. [applause]

>> they key very much. it was interesting. we're going to talk about privacy only today. no, you know, have been coming to this show to las vegas for almost 25 years now, the technology shows, innovation until i was deaf. but honestly this year we're really seeing the start of something that will revolutionize travel, safety six. the alluded to the idea of zero fatalities in people realistically talking about a. it's a long road to get there. and this going to very quickly run through the folks on the panel and then get off because they don't have a lot of time. and not going to be a will to do it. we have hillary from toyota. telmex.

mike stanton from the association will lawmakers. the first it's a policy discussion, how can anybody in legislature, you know, government keep up with the changes we she. we have already seen many of us a demo reni things. can you legislate and protect the public, help manufacturers and can they be read six start right off. >> no, that's fine. the question is kanaka we keep up or how can the administration keep up with what is changing in the till and medics world of the automotive world. yet have a lot of people, guess. there is changing dramatically. end of the changes did.

fix the cars getting smarter, the connected. to the last point about safety, at the core of the connected vehicle is safety. and me, there is technology that has been around for 18 years that will notify. to think about how many accidents are reported from the vehicle, from those technologies , is out there, connected. rather they keep up? at the kid is things like this committee should give serbia is in the industry to start coming together. i'm a believer that we need to throw policy and everything that happens in the car because policy often will stymie innovation the to dallas to discuss to the safer cars, is connected cars, a technology that allows a stab handsfree collin, the technology that connects you to your dealer with the diagnostic, the same technology can be used to solve some of these things.

at the debris with a 100 percent, we need to come together as an industry. many of the players of the table to figure half. we never use that same technology. >> yes. first of all, what tec complement administrator strickland. he, like no other administrator before him actually reach up to the industry to try to understand the nature of the technology, to try to understand what could be possible. not that it need to be in the regulation, but to stress their thinking about the possibilities. he was receptive to that. now, from that point going florida think that just gets a but our government administrations or agencies that work in this space need to reach

out to industry to reach out to consumer electronics sectors, rejects academia because there are a lot of players in the space. all of us have a piece of the equation. it needs to be more collaborative. it is not like the old days where we are often are separate corners in the we came out fighting. i mean, what must happen is that we work together to achieve the best solution for everyone concerned. industry, government will like to echo. an incredibly exists will guide. the kind, thoughtful, and a real love the technology the cantor is work. when he spoke he said the problem of connectivity.

i'm going to quibble with that little bit. the issue here is the up rigidity of connectivity. we have this dawn of a great new age and safety the connectivity will usher in. the question is, is the pace of change consistent size. at the the answer is unfortunately maybe not. the regulatory process 63 years to implement. you see a dramatic new innovations. we always talk renovation, but innovation, the marketplace now. its really profound. the display. and there is the world awash it's pretty striking.

as a metaphor, an analysis to pick on its the because they do the best the can first with a dedicated public servants, the exceptions came under earlier this year, visual manuel given with 2% instruction problem in good systems, did not deal to sell phone, world watches, voice, a gesture, and that's a perfect metaphor for the challenger because it just is not relevant to the problem that yesterday. in the way you deal with that is by governments serving a very different role. instead of government being a regulator or a facilitator of conversations between all the various players on this panel and in this room. the carriers and the instructors and the software guides and manufactures, we have to find a way to pull together so that we can produce a product to the car that is safe for everybody. we're used to dealing with them.

these other elements of this new ecosystem are not. >> go ahead. >> i would also like to add, the point that the needs to be more collaboration among the various players is absolutely right. nelson think we need to emphasize that in these to be collaboration in cooperation among those that are doing the regulating. we have seen them more pronounced in the last few months unless you're so where we are talking about privacies, the portrait commission, spectrum policies and were talking about the traditional area. devonshire we have seen that played up on most profoundly the vehicle severe communications space. >> the sec. we are integrating all these different services.

coming back to the original idea was so tweeted help with studies that the three dozen vehicles in an arbor, did that help the government understand what is going on? is is something like that or should we be doing something like in cash to europe where we don't force the standard. tickets one star rather than five. are those different kinds of approaches? >> the consumer with the seven dissenting does it does not work because all of you might reject some of this stuff if it does not do what is supposed to do. action believe the government plays a huge role in facilitating innovation in that necessarily -- i mean, the process face caliper the wild west fifth.

everybody in the room knows senator right. up anybody in danger. their other approaches, particularly tech companies, none of automotive companies. in they think, that's for the government has to play a role. ultimately it is the market force. i believe this whole notion actually will force the automotive industry, becomes a much more innovative in how you serve up of affirmation and enable consumers to consume that accountants and share with other people that this would help to bring innovation to the marketplace. you wouldn't have any of these guidelines in place, none of that actually would happen. you would see the industry shifting their mind-set. we can't control it at all, the people at the right cd creator structure for people to think of what needs to happen in order to incite @booktv said consumers that is when it gets really

interesting. there has to be the role of the government, these demonstrations and testing. >> you mentioned the safety lunch and an arbor which i think is a good example. it is an excellent model in terms of engaging or facilitating the oem to mature ones, academics, other players behalf technologies. the telecommunication communities. it's an attempt to try to understand the technology. natalie wood as possible what is doable. end to understand some of the flaws, the benefits, and to understand that in the context of data that will help us assess what is truly visible