Quoting D. Hermance from the article lars-ss posted:
"It really is 50th-percentile driving. No one drives like that anymore."

So if people did not speed to a red light, the test cycle would be OK ??

I'm going a bit off-topic, but why legitimize lousy driving habits ? That the majority drive that way seems a piss poor excuse. I can't help but see this as another example of the US propensity to modify a test to the least common denominator, so that everyone feels good about themselves.

"No Driver Left Behind"

R2-E2, 2G Prius.
Highway/City/Husband/Wife MPG: 56.5, as of 12/2005, 26K miles

Jac Nasser, Ford President: "We are planning to launch a hybrid version of
this car [P2000] within this year [1998]. We will also make FCEV available in
2004."