Small towns give birth to good things, two of them are old friends and great music.

Every day our cars and trucks guzzle an eye-popping 378 million gallons of gasoline, spewing millions of tons of global warming pollution into the air. This accounts for about 40 percent of U.S. oil consumption, with freight trucks adding another 14 percent.

Saving oil in transportation is crucial for reducing our perilous foreign energy dependence and addressing the climate challenge. Improving vehicle technology also would keep our domestic auto industry competitive in a world where fuel efficiency has become a significant advantage in the global marketplace.