To the editor:

Kudos to USA Today for making the distinction between small cars and light cars when it comes to safety ("Safety could suffer if we boost mileage by making cars smaller"; May 20). There is no doubt that cars can be both light and also very safe. High strength, low weight materials like aluminum can maintain or even increase safety while still improving fuel economy, and reducing emissions.

The article questioned the cost of lightweighting but it isn’t that simple. You failed to note that new powertrain technologies like hybrids, clean diesels, and cylinder deactivation; all cost more than yesterday’s technology too. The real beauty of lightweighting (with aluminum of course) is that it sets off a virtuous cycle of benefits for driver and environment. A lighter car needs less energy to move around, so costly new powertrains and other components can be made smaller and less expensive. Fuel economy, emissions, and performance are also improved. The best part is that all these benefits come without sacrificing safety.

As automakers struggle to reinvent and the Obama administration ratchets up fuel economy standards, it is clear that the automotive status quo is dead. A holistic solution comprising lightweighting and new powertrains is the right answer.

Regards,