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A fundamentally American freedom is under attack.

The automobile defined the 20th聽Century in the United States. Mass production made cars available to the nation鈥檚 middle class and helped create the modern suburb, where most Americans now live.

Driving became part of coming of age in America. Road trips allowed Americans to affordably explore their nation, including its stunning parks and other natural wonders.

Over time, constant innovation has made automobiles safer, greener and more fuel efficient. Even as Americans have聽driven more miles, air pollution has declined.

Today鈥檚 vehicles are as varied as Americans themselves; there鈥檚 one to fit every need and personality.

It抖阴ap no wonder people become attached to their car like no other product, often giving it an affectionate name and customizing it with creative accoutrements.

Getting behind the wheel is associated with freedom and adventure — generations of songs extol this exhilarating feeling.

But human-created obstacles are quickly approaching on the road ahead.

In Colorado, two governors in a row have pushed for the adoption of California vehicle emissions standards that would punish most of the state鈥檚 drivers to benefit the elite few.

Because of Colorado鈥檚 uniquely demanding driving conditions and its residents鈥� outdoor vocations and avocations, three-quarters of new vehicles sold here are SUVs or pickups. Unsurprisingly, that抖阴ap different than the driving demands and vehicle mix in California, which has a higher percentage of cars.

So rubber stamping rules created by the unelected California Air Resources Board for that state鈥檚 temperate climate and uniquely bad air simply doesn鈥檛 make sense in Colorado.

The California rules mandate a huge increase in electric vehicle sales — a requirement that benefits the Golden State鈥檚 one car manufacturer, Tesla.

Tesla to date has proven incapable of mass producing an affordable electric car, so publicly funded financial perks benefit its billionaire founder, Elon Musk, and those wealthy enough to be able to pay for his pricey cars — which often serve as the second or third vehicle for these 1 percenters.

Need to pull a horse trailer or haul construction supplies? Tesla does not have the vehicle for you.

The California standards don鈥檛 just provide these carrots. They also use a stick to punish those who can鈥檛 afford or don鈥檛 want electric cars — adding thousands of dollars to the cost of those other vehicles. That will put cars financially out of reach for more Americans.

Meanwhile, cities like Denver have put their drivers on forced road diets. Even as its population steadily grows, Denver is actually reducing lanes available to drivers on key arterial streets.

Part of the motivation is to increase bicycle and bus lanes. But again, this gift comes at a cost to drivers. The goal is to discourage driving by intentionally reducing capacity and creating traffic congestion by design. Backers say聽it抖阴ap more 鈥減eople friendly鈥� — at least for people who don鈥檛 need to drive.

The bottom line is they want to force more residents to use alternative transportation by making driving as unpleasant as possible.

Since when did the automobile, which helped drive this nation鈥檚 development and success, become a public enemy? There are聽more licensed drivers in the United States than at any time in history. When did the 222 million U.S. drivers become a problem that requires big government fixes?

Cars are associated with economic success,聽especially for low-income Americans.聽It抖阴ap hard to hold a job if you can鈥檛 reliably get to work on time. These working families can least afford the California-style upcharges.

Coloradans love the environment as much as residents of any state. In fact, our state鈥檚 natural resources were what initially attracted many of the state鈥檚 transplants.

Weekends prompt an exodus of vehicles from the population centers to mountain resort towns, trails and campgrounds.

As an avid cyclist, I know bicycles often get delivered to the trailhead on top of a car.

Range anxiety is not an irrational fear in Colorado. Unlike the densely populated states on the East and West Coasts — which, not surprisingly, are the ones with the California emissions standards — it抖阴ap not unusual for Coloradans to drive hundreds of miles for work or play.

This is not a state where you want to see your electric vehicle鈥檚 battery warning light turn red when you鈥檙e between population centers.

These attacks aren鈥檛 some abstract threat. They will cost drivers real money and significantly lengthen commutes, cutting into productivity and family time.

In short, they will punish those of us who count on our cars and erode our freedom to drive.

罢颈尘听闯补肠办蝉辞苍 is president and CEO of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association. He can often be found driving and bicycling around the state. Follow him @TimWJackson.

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