Group: Autos “Scapegoated” for Beijing Smog

China's car industry is being unfairly blamed for the dangerous levels of smog that have cloaked Beijing this winter, according to the China Assn. of Automobile Manufacturers.

Pollution last month was so dense that the city urged children and the elderly to remain indoors, grounded flights at its airport and ordered temporary factory closings. Beijing is considering a ban on driving when smog levels are high.

CAAM told local reporters earlier this week that vehicle tailpipes emit only 22% of the fine particulates that foul the city's air. The group insists the majority of the pollution comes from coal-fired power plants, factory smokestacks and construction sites.

Bloomberg News says CAAM is alarmed because cars already face growing government restrictions aimed at reducing vehicle emissions of carbon dioxide and easing urban traffic congestion. Analysts say the latter is discouraging car purchases in China's biggest cities.

Earlier this week China's State Council issued a schedule for imposing stricter auto emissions standards nationwide by 2017, Bloomberg reports. The government also is requiring oil refineries to produce fuel that matches European Union regulations.