3 ms·

Here's the question that you need to ask yourself: The cheating that VW did allowed them get an emissions score that is an order of magnitude lower than the tru

Here's the question that you need to ask yourself: The cheating that VW did allowed them get an emissions score that is an order of magnitude lower than the truth. Now, if everyone else was being honest, either A) their performance would be an order of magnitude lower than VW's, or B) everyone else has discovered magical technology that VW lacks. Neither of those things is happening. The conclusion is obvious: everybody is cheating, and they always have been. I mean, a hack of this magnitude wouldn't be performed without management approval from top to bottom, and let's face it, the only way management would have the balls to do something like this is if it were industry standard practice.

jacquesm 11y ago
That's not the whole menu of choices. The other option on the menu is: VW found that cheating software was cheaper than actually doing something about emissions. The other manufacturers are not that much better than VW at engineering they simply threw more money at the problem. VW tried to do an end-run around both solving the problem and passing the tests. Another reason why VW has the spotlight on them is because they are the largest player. If VW were given a free pass and a lesser manufacturer would be taken to the cleaners it would be a different situation altogether. I think there will be more manufacturers that will have to own up to 'gaming the tests', maybe even some that actually have a similar device but the majority of the cars are not nearly within the range of test:regular that that particular engine is. 40:1 is a bit more than an oversight or a small error.
- fallingfrog 11y ago
  You're right, that is possible. But given that VW is the largest player, why would they be the one to throw less money at the problem than anyone else? But VW being the largest is a good reason to make an example of them.
  - jacquesm 11y ago
    I suspect because of timing. If they had not been fully invested in that particular engine at the time they would have had a way out. But given that they already had made a commitment the choice was to drop the US market for their small diesels or to cheat and they - unfortunately - chose the latter. It was both cheaper and the only solution that worked under time pressure. Someone probably thought they were very clever when they thought of this.

jacquesm 11y ago

That's not the whole menu of choices. The other option on the menu is: VW found that cheating software was cheaper than actually doing something about emissions. The other manufacturers are not that much better than VW at engineering they simply threw more money at the problem. VW tried to do an end-run around both solving the problem and passing the tests. Another reason why VW has the spotlight on them is because they are the largest player. If VW were given a free pass and a lesser manufacturer would be taken to the cleaners it would be a different situation altogether. I think there will be more manufacturers that will have to own up to 'gaming the tests', maybe even some that actually have a similar device but the majority of the cars are not nearly within the range of test:regular that that particular engine is. 40:1 is a bit more than an oversight or a small error.

fallingfrog 11y ago
You're right, that is possible. But given that VW is the largest player, why would they be the one to throw less money at the problem than anyone else? But VW being the largest is a good reason to make an example of them.
- jacquesm 11y ago
  I suspect because of timing. If they had not been fully invested in that particular engine at the time they would have had a way out. But given that they already had made a commitment the choice was to drop the US market for their small diesels or to cheat and they - unfortunately - chose the latter. It was both cheaper and the only solution that worked under time pressure. Someone probably thought they were very clever when they thought of this.