Volkswagen software to evade emissions testing - massive recall

[parentologist]

This is truly incredible. Since 2009, VW cars have had software that was deliberately designed and installed by VW specifically to detect an ongoing emissions test, and evade detection of emissions violations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/19/bu...ware.html?_r=0

So far, they're being ordered to recall half a million vehicles and fix them - but who knows if they can fix them? After all, retrofitting these cars to bring them into emissions compliance would likely affect their miles/gallon rating (and thus violating the required mpg ratings for cars) and performance. Not to mention, how do they compensate the owners for the inconvenience, the lost value of the cars, and more importantly, how do they make restitution to all of us for the increased contribution to dirty air over the past 6 years or so?

Someone should be going to prison for this.

[catdad7x]

Originally Posted by parentologist

This is truly incredible. Since 2009, VW cars have had software that was deliberately designed and installed by VW specifically to detect an ongoing emissions test, and evade detection of emissions violations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/19/bu...ware.html?_r=0

So far, they're being ordered to recall half a million vehicles and fix them - but who knows if they can fix them? After all, retrofitting these cars to bring them into emissions compliance would likely affect their miles/gallon rating (and thus violating the required mpg ratings for cars) and performance. Not to mention, how do they compensate the owners for the inconvenience, the lost value of the cars, and more importantly, how do they make restitution to all of us for the increased contribution to dirty air over the past 6 years or so?

Someone should be going to prison for this.

Don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen. If they aren't going to criminally prosecute anyone at GM over the ignition switch debacle that actually killed people, then they certainly won't do it for Volkswagen over dirty air. They'll hit them in the bank account, and call it a day.

[WaldoKitty]

I guess they are going to have to put the tank of pee & pee injectors back on these cars.

[parentologist]

I was under the impression that the GM ignition switch issue was a mistake, not a deliberate effort to evade US government mandated standards. That's the difference here. VW set out to deliberately evade emissions testing. It's gonna be a long time before they can get past this one, no matter how many cute commercials they air.