Mazda is already preparing to bring its innovative SKYACTIV powertrain technologies to its U.S. lineup beginning this year. And, the automaker’s award-winning i-Stop – the Japanese automaker’s stop-start system – will also be arriving Stateside to boost fuel economy even more.

According to Mazda, i-Stop will yield five to eight percent fuel economy gains on Japan’s test cycle. Although it will likely arrive in the automaker’s U.S. lineup, reports suggest it won’t be anytime soon. Jim O’Sullivan, chief executive officer of Mazda North America, has also said that it will become available on U.S. vehicles beginning in 2016.

When combined with Mazda’s new line of direct-injection engines, i-Stop stops the pistons from moving when the car comes to a stop. When the drive releases the brake and presses on the accelerator, the system sprays fuel into a cylinder and ignites it to re-fire the engine. The engine restarts and returns to idle in one-third of a second. This process is hardly noticeable to the drive, yet it helps conserve fuel. Similar systems are already employed on hybrids like the Toyota Prius.