Fraud By Algorithm?

You can do manual start-stop. I did that for 6 months before I got my Prius in 2008, in anticipation of that benefit. I got the idea from being in Europe in the 80's, where this was already common.

And I share your irk - sitting at a light in a Prius that hasn't warmed up enough to stop the engine is frustrating, but was a common part of my winter before now.