Setting an example: Volkswagen

[TUMe]

Volkswagen became the largest manufacturers on automobiles in the world recently, going around Toyota. Oh, wait. Volkswagen systematically cheated on emission standards. It appears that the German government knew.

Germany is a good friend of ours. I like Germany and love their bier. Socially progressive, friend to refugees, staunch NATO partner and pillar of the EU. First rate country.

We are told that if we set a good example on global warming the rest of the world will follow. When we look at emissions from Germany should we use the reductions that they claim or what they actually get? In fact, our emissions may be higher than when say since millions of Americans drive cars from Germany. If we can't trust Germany to be honest can we trust Putin's Russia [see Ukraine] to follow our example. VW violated US laws but surely they wouldn't violate an agreement. China [horrible air pollution in large cities] and India will follow our examples.

I say we make drastic cuts and pray in the word of the that great spiritual leader Janis Joplin, "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz."

 

[TUMe]

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's transport minister denied on Wednesday that he had known about the technology Volkswagen used to rig emissions tests despite a government acknowledgment only months ago of a general gap between 'test' and on-road emissions.
Volkswagen has admitted using software to recognize when a car was being checked in a test center.
Spotting for instance when two of a car's four wheels were moving in a test, it could switch the engine to economy mode and inject chemicals to cut emissions in a test below those in normal driving conditions.
Now the focus is shifting to how much the German government knew about the practice, given that it was well documented by independent groups that cars emitted more harmful emissions when in normal use compared to the test center.
"There is obviously a system of fraud and lies," Oliver Krischer, a Greens party lawmaker who had earlier pursued this issue with the government, told journalists. "I assume that the minister was informed that such manipulative devices were used."
Earlier this year, Krischer and other members of the Green party challenged the government on the discrepancy between emissions in the test environment and during normal driving.
It prompted an answer from the government that showed it was at least aware of such emissions control technology.

 

[WATU2]

The Germans are not the only cheaters in the auto industry: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/24/b...ing-follows-a-long-auto-industry-pattern.html

 

[TUMe]

BMW has a neat trick. They make their cars have three modes. Economy, Comfort, and Sport. In the Econ mode it dies at stops of more than a few seconds and restarts, the air conditioners and heat work slower and an all wheel drive goes rear wheel. Comfort is pretty normal. Sport has quicker pedal response, firmer steering and suspension.

Now, it's up to you which mode you push the button for. It's up to them but they probably test in the econ mode. No one can say that there are faking anything. If you choose sport or comfort that was your decision. The auto stop can be activated in the other modes. You would think that it eats starters.

Also, I can see going after VW/Audi for what they did, but the let GM off of they hook on the ignition problems than actually resulted in deaths.