More Arizona drivers could soon have a car equipped with a new fuel-saving device.
AAA spokeswoman Michelle Donati said they recently tested cars with automatic stop-start systems that can improve fuel economy by up to 7 percent.
“They turn off the engine when the vehicle is at a complete stop such as in traffic or at a stop light,” Donati said. “Then, when the driver releases the break or the clutch, the engine will start and move forward.”
Donati said when the engine’s off, the car’s systems run on battery power. About half a million cars were outfitted with this technology last year. But AAA says that number could be more than 7 million by 2022.