❗️President Trump recently expressed his admiration for Japan’s ultra-compact Kei cars, suggesting they should be made and sold in the U.S., a sentiment that has ignited debate across the automotive world. These vehicles are integral to Japanese transportation, known for their distinctive small size, fuel efficiency, and low-cost tax status granted by strict regulatory limits on engine displacement and dimensions. Currently, new Kei cars are prohibited from U.S. roads because they fail to meet rigorous Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), designed for much larger American vehicles. The President, referring to them as “cute,” proposed a directive to his Transportation Secretary to expedite approval for their production and sale in the domestic market. Such a move would require a radical overhaul of U.S. vehicle class and safety regulations, creating an entirely new, smaller segment. Proponents argue that the introduction of cheap, efficient cars could appeal to budget-co...