A number of years in the past, some New England states grew to become notorious within the automobile neighborhood when they began canceling existing registrations of legally imported and titled vintage Japanese cars, in addition to stopping registration of extra examples. However they are not the one states which are beginning to put up roadblocks to registering autos, notably “kei” dimension vehicles, imported beneath the federal regulation that exempts 25-year-old autos from emissions and security laws. Highlighted by The Autopian in a current article is Texas, and a few house owners are taking motion to push again.
In response to The Autopian, Texas hasn’t been as aggressive as Maine and Rhode Island, the place present registrations had been being canceled. However it exhibits a variety of examples of individuals making an attempt to register their authorized imports and being denied. The piece notes that these denials have elevated (although they’ve been often argued for years primarily based on some confusion between late-model, low-speed mini trucks and older imported Japanese examples) for a similar purpose because the New England examples: coverage suggestions from the American Affiliation of Motor Car Directors (AAMVA).
That organization published recommendations that stated these small, kei-sized autos shouldn’t be granted registrations on grounds of security, regardless of federal exemptions. And naturally, these suggestions additionally appear to disregard the truth that even older and arguably extra harmful autos together with motorcycles and vintage vehicles can nonetheless be legally registered and operated on public roads.
The Autopian goes on to spotlight a car house owners’ group known as Texas Kei Truck Advocates that is working to make it in order that these autos could be simply and legally registered. They apparently have been involved with varied Texas lawmakers and received the Texas DMV to assessment its rulemaking concerning the little vehicles. Time will inform how profitable they’re, and there are apparently some considerations from inside the kei automobile neighborhood there concerning the course of. You’ll be able to try all of the attention-grabbing particulars in The Autopian‘s in-depth piece.