In short this is a result of the principle-agent problem. Politicians can be influenced. The government has little time to get in, and when regulations are set

In short this is a result of the principle-agent problem. Politicians can be influenced. The government has little time to get in, and when regulations are set they are rarely updated... meanwhile the IIHS helping insurers save money (by setting correct car insurance premiums) also sparked consumer demand for high safety ratings when shopping for cars. This is very much the free market at work. Money (which people like to call "Greed") drives both consumers and insurers to find the scientifically best car. Insurers have more appropriate loses, and customers have fewer deaths (or a better safety level for their dollars spent). The IIHS makes the knowledge about car safety much less asymmetric in the market. The UL does a similar thing, and I think this is the model that is more effective. It doesn't take an act of congress for the IIHS to come up with a new test and new standards as technology improves and new areas of risk are discovered! Edit: I see my parent is being downvoted. He pointed out the basic facts of the situation, but since it was not sufficiently authoritarian he is being downvoted. I feel this site is anti-intellectual.