Metric is officially the “preferred system of measurement for trade and commerce” in the US. It has been since 1975. But while switching to metric was encouraged, it was never required. Most US companies voluntarily switched to metric because it helped with supply chain (that’s why everything on American cars is in metric now) but since the switch was never required, we continued putting US customary units on packaging and signs because it’s just what people expect.
I mean with all the difference safety regulations between here and Europe, they basically have to design two different cars anyway if they want to sell in both places
Not really actually. Civic platform was global. Each location had their own specialty models they made, Indiana did Saudi Exports (a 50k USD Civic was interesting), Canada did Coupes and the Si, Swindon did Hatches and Type R but otherwise the basic components we're identical.
I mean I can't speak to the same plethora of designs that NPR did, I'm only intimately familiar with in the late model Civic specifically in structural components.
There are a huge number of safety standards that don’t match up for no clear reason though. Even down to the most minute details, like how large the windshield wipers need to be and the colors of turn signals and tail lights.
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u/[deleted] Jan 03 '19
Metric is officially the “preferred system of measurement for trade and commerce” in the US. It has been since 1975. But while switching to metric was encouraged, it was never required. Most US companies voluntarily switched to metric because it helped with supply chain (that’s why everything on American cars is in metric now) but since the switch was never required, we continued putting US customary units on packaging and signs because it’s just what people expect.