"The only alternative explanation (and one that is even more worrisome) is that the entire compliance department and the entire management of VW were so dangero

"The only alternative explanation (and one that is even more worrisome) is that the entire compliance department and the entire management of VW were so dangerously incompetent that they allowed a situation like this to come into being, exist for several years and required an outside party to bring to light." Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." That being said, it really doesn't matter if it was on purpose or on accident, both indicate a company which should not be able to sell cars in the U.S. There are plenty of other cars to choose from.