Evening star., 1924-09-02
Would CUT COSTS
Of RUNNING AUTOS
Engineers Seek to Reduce
Weight and Also Conserve
Oil and Gasoline.
ny j. e.. ROYI.E..

Special Dispatch TO The star
NEW YORK. September 2.-Changes
now taking place in the engineering
factory and mechanical practices of
the automobile industry are directed
toward achieving a car complete in
each detail which shall be more eco
nomi,al to run. Great as are the
'hang"s made in automobiles in the
last 20 years. responsible engineers
connected with the industry do not
hesitate to predict greater changes
p.ndl =.
Tn" fight to cut down weight is
atlll going forward relentlessly. The
Ford Motor Company, which has been
using pistons of east iron weighing
four pounds each, now is installing
in its engines steel pistons weighing
bur " and a half pounds. Many OF
the patented alloys of steel and other
metals are receiving close attention
and being subjected to numerous
tests. New uses for aluminium and
Nanadium are being tried i'll a score
of experimental plants.
Little Car StfrS Engineers.
1t has been a maxim in the auto
mobile industry that automoblieS
over Il certain weight added cost TO
tho rate of 81 for every additional
mound put into them. Whether the
ratio has changed in recent days or
not weight or elimination of it is
. still Il prime consideration. A car IN
vented in East which has
wheel base of only 65 inches and
weighs less than LEGO pounds is re-
cciVinG Il lot of quiet attention on
rhr part of prominent engineers.
The engine is placed near the rear
.N1e and some who have viewed 1t
declare ii is d kind of cross be-
tween a motor cycle and Ford.
Others see in il Il possible solution
Of traffic congestion in the cities
They point out that its short wheel
base would add materially to road
capacity for vehicles. that 1t would
occupy much less parking space than
tho ordinary car and that 1t would
readily be maaeuvered IN heaNy
traffic.
Congestion Hurts sales.
Some manufacturers freely admit
that the congestion of traffic has had
n material effect on their safes OF
passenger automobiles. Many busi-
ness men. they say. have become ac-
customcd to riding on busSes instead
nf driving their own ears from their
homes to their offices.
owners who have given up their
cars and rely entirely on CONNER
,-iaI vehicles are extremely rare, Dut
abandonment of the daily drive to
their offices by ii large number Of
owners has had tendency to pro-
long the lives of the old cars and
postpone purchases Of new models
longer than in the past.
The lighter vehicles, with which
engineers now are experimenting.
undoubtcdly will cut gasoline and
oil consumption for the owner and.
it is hoped. will conduce to greater
safety and freedom from accidents.
Safety of operation is being given
concentrated attention by city, coun-
ty and State officials in many To-
caliti,s at present. They have rec
"gnized that it is impossible to avoid
congestion if an extremely low rate
of speed is maintained, but that
car can be safely operated at a fairly
high rate OF speed if the brakes are
effective and the drivers competent.
Good Brakes Demanded.
Motorists around Philadelphia and
in Westchester County, New York,
are being stopped by officials unless
they can show certificate that their
brakes have been tested and are not
defective. New York State is con-
Quoting d campaign to eliminate in
competent drivers by strict enforce
license.
The Federal Government now is
conducting Investigations to deter
mnc what effect lliteracy and in
ability of foreign born residents to
speak and read English have on
motor accidents. Traffic courts ara
cooperating i'll furnishing data fur
these Investigations.
y movement has been started to
ma ka 1t Impossible for those who
tor amy reason have been deprived
of drivers license in one State to
obtain such licenses in another
state. 1t is hoped to accomplish
TINS through Il national association
OF heads of State highway depart
ments which Will act as sort of
tearing house for notices of infrac-
tons of the traffic laws which have
resulted in cancellation of licenses
ana distribute descriptions. photo
graphs and fingerprints of drivers
whose licenses have been taken from
them.