Emission almost fail, high NOX, low HC, low CO

[HTSS_TR]

There was 23.4 million registered vehicles in CA in the year 2000, probably close to 30 millions now. Newer vehicles are exempted from smog test for 6 or 8 years, but still pay smog fee when register, other vehicles need smog test every other year. Of the total 30 millions vehicles, about 10 millions vehicles need smog test every year at a cost of about $30-40 plus $8 certificate, the total cost to drivers is about $380-480 millions, there are thousands smog stations employ thousands technician just for smog test.

There was a talk about random smog sensors that can detect gross polluters that cost only tens of millions a year to run, but that one was shovel under the rug because it effects the employment of the thousands mechanics in the smog test industry.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
There was 23.4 million registered vehicles in CA in the year 2000, probably close to 30 millions now. Newer vehicles are exempted from smog test for 6 or 8 years, but still pay smog fee when register, other vehicles need smog test every other year. Of the total 30 millions vehicles, about 10 millions vehicles need smog test every year at a cost of about $30-40 plus $8 certificate, the total cost to drivers is about $380-480 millions, there are thousands smog stations employ thousands technician just for smog test.

There was a talk about random smog sensors that can detect gross polluters that cost only tens of millions a year to run, but that one was shovel under the rug because it effects the employment of the thousands mechanics in the smog test industry.


The problem with random sensors that detect gross polluters is not about employment. Most of the smog stations are mom and pop (mostly immigrant small businesses), the problem is they are not precise enough to detect malfunctioning vehicles.

As much of an annoyance it could be, vehicles need to fail by a lot to fail smog. My dad's Taurus had a carbon trace on a plug with 10% reduction in fuel economy (due to misfire) and the smog pass with flying color. My college friend from Southern California remember the pre-smog days with gross polluters everywhere and air bad enough that you do not want to go outside as a kid.

Since you are from Irvine, you probably would remember how bad the air was in LA a couple decades ago.