It's already being phased in, and not only for SUVs. All mass market automobiles in the US will have to have ESP by 2012.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stability_control
Of course, with it comes ABS and traction control too. In a separate mandate, all vehicles will also have TPMS, I think by 2010.

I hate to revive an old thread but I just saw one of these today.
This is small it is smaller than my CRX. Really wish I would have had the CRX today it would have fun to part next to it. It is taller but shorter and narrower than the CRX from the looks.
I like the concept but think it needs some more work. Would expect it to get better mileage for it size.

Smart Car + Open Throttle + Jersey Barriers @70mph

It was this video that finally convinced my wife that this wasn't suicide. Once the EPA lets in those hideously dirty 75mpg diesels I'll start looking to get one.

B

Today I was driving my normal route. This particular section is 3 miles narrow two lane, trucks prohibited.

I saw a Chevy Blazer coming up on me fast, sped to 50 MPH and glided to 43 MPH, in a 45 zone.

The Blazer ended up 3 feet from my bumper, passed me over a double yellow line, and blasted up another 250 yards where it tailgated a Minivan at less than one car length until they reached the light. I glided and DFCO'ed up behind the idiot woman in the Blazer, just in time to make my right turn, while she blasted up behind another car passed on the right, cut off another car to get in the left turn lane, AN PULLED INTO THE SAME GAS STATION WHERE I GET MY FUEL.

I thought about giving her a piece of my mind, but I could spend the rest of my life doing that with no real effect.

The Smart is a step in the right direction, although I would prefer a small car with much better aero and some more crumple zone space in the front and rear, more storage as well.

The real danger (and the reason) many people will not drive small cars is the idiots that drive tanks.

Maybe after the hurricane that causes a supply disruption in oil imports this fall, (or any other world event) gas prices will actually cause idiots to change their habits, but I am not optomistic.

I wish the idiot today had been caught and forced to drive a Honda Rebel down a road with another identical idiot in a huge SUV 3 feet from her arse at 44 MPH. She might actually get a clue.

regards
gary

Of course, you can avoid MANY of the pitfalls of driving a Smart (including its ugly appearance) by getting a Honda Civic instead. With the exception of maybe urban parking, the 2008 Civic is better in every way possible than the Smart, including gas mileage and styling.

F.Y.I.- Here's a link to the first American Smart to get totaled due to a bad crash. The link is here. There are more pictures of the car in the original poster's gallery.

IMO, he fared well. Some would say a bump from the side sent him flying but if you've ever been bumped from the side without ever even expecting it you know that it scares the heck out of you - reason to jerk the wheel a little too much. :eek:

That's a completely opinionated statement.

i agree 100%. Civic will hold four people too. Guess i'm a ricer now...:o

I want a smart now!!!! LOL

-Nate

But...but...but...all the "best" experts agree I should be taking out the back seat of my Geo to get more mileage...so then it would only hold two people.

Actually, that the Smart only holds two people may be a feature, rather than a defect.