If you're like many classic, late-model, and modern Corvette owners, you cringe at the mention of more government regulation of America's automobile industry.
Did you know that many of the Corvette's standard features are a direct result of government regulation? Of course, mpg fuel standards probably come to mind, but here's some more that you might not have known or remembered.
Note: Years listed are calendar years, not model years.
1. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) (1967)
2. Front Seat belts (1968) (First appeared on GM cars in 1964.)
3. Head restraints (1969)
4. Front bumpers must meet 5mph crash standard (1972)
5. Side impact standards required for all new cars (1973)
6. Three-point lap-shoulder belts with inertia reels (1973)
7. High mounted center stop light (1986)
8. Passive restraints (either driver side air bag or automatic seat-lap belts) (1990)
9. Dual front-impact airbags (1998)
10. Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) (2008)