OT: VW accused of evading emission tests

[no_such_reality]

Xbox, Easter eggs yes, emission controls I’m not so sure. no one asked any questions about how when the testing improves by 40x? The concept of the Code is fairly simple, its implementation surely required multiple testing cycles, it sounds like the code determines it is being tested by a combination of vehicles speeds, steering wheel position and wheel motion.

Basically, The exec sad they have no idea if a programmer put random kill switches in their ECM.

[XBoxBoy]

This week’s Economist had a really interesting letter to the editor touching on how well known the strategy of having your software detect testing and modify emissions to look good in the testing is:

[quote=Letter to the Editor in Economist Magazine]In 1998 America’s Environmental Protection Agency reached a $1 billion settlement with heavy-duty diesel-engine manufacturers over their use of precisely the same software approach as VW. There were literally hundreds of articles discussing this use of engine- controller software in technical, popular and engineering-news journals. Media reports show that officials from the EPA were present at a meeting in 1994 at which an EPA staff member discussed control strategies based on the test cycle. This demonstrates that at the very least the EPA had notice that electronic engine-controllers were being programmed to detect tests as early as 1994. It is impossible for any competent regulator to have been unaware of what was going on with other diesel engines after 1998.[/quote]

Here’s the link: http://www.economist.com/news/letters/21672008-letters-editor

If all this is true, then it is far less likely that a rogue programmer or two inserted the code without anyone up the food chain being aware.

The full letter is fascinating also because it calls for regulators to be held accountable for failing to detect this and honestly if true I couldn’t agree more.

[no_such_reality]

So what’s the tally today. Global CeO resigned. North American CEo resigned day after. Month later, the appointed exec to be North American CEO resigns. Chief communication officer resign earlier. 2016 fleet identified to have additional coding in it. And home country Germany, issues recall of 2.4 million units and prompts recall of 8 million across Europe

Oh, and the head of Diesel engine development from 2006 to 2010, he’s the fourth senior engineer being suspended.

I

[svelte]

Rarely do you see a clear cut case in business where outright fraud was committed for so long by such a large company.

It’s been weeks now and this case still floors me. BP, well I thought they tried hard to remedy their error and I don’t think it was intentional anyway.

But this one. To purposely put in cheat software. Purposely!

I want Volkswagen to pay dearly. I really do.

[svelte]

VW still – still! – doesn’t get what deep sh*t they are in.

They oust their top US exec after he requests $1K credit for owners as goodwill until they get things sorted out. Sales down 9% this year, which is actually better than I expected.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/vw-us-chief-ousted-over-231343899.html

California rejected their first fix attempt and sent them back to the drawing board.

This is an arrogant, arrogant company. No VWs for me.

[spdrun]

Diesels = less CO2 emissions. If they add a bit to smog, so? Smog might block enough light to temper the greenhouse effect 🙂

[svelte]

And now this:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/vw-toys-giving-u-mass-163447054.html

It was late January, at the Detroit auto show, and Herbert Diess, the global chief of Volkswagen AG’s namesake brand, was sounding out U.S. dealers as the company grappled with the biggest crisis in its modern history. Perhaps, Diess wondered aloud, VW should stop trying to compete with the likes of Toyota Motor Corp. in America and go back to focusing on higher-end models.

More evidence they are oblivious. VW is not a high end name in the United States! That is why the Phaeton failed here!

[spdrun]

They already have high-end marques. They’re called Audi and Bugatti.

[Author]

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