> The most amazing thing to me about this is that the cars *can* pass the
> emissions tests when they're being tested. So why the subterfuge? Is
> mileage or performance affected when operated under test conditions? In any
> case an idiotic management decision.
This has the potential of getting much uglier than just a big lawsuit.
This is the kind of thing that can destroy trade relations between
countries.
On a flip side of the coin, though, it could have been a benign
adjustment to the test-mode to actually reflect real-world
performance. This is what Toyota had to do with the Prius as it was
failing emissions tests that were not designed to operate correctly
with hybrid cars. But Toyota's programming changes were fully
documented.
I certainly agree with the assessment about flag size and ethics. If
you take a drive down that old stretch of highway that isn't a highway
anymore, and see 20 used-car dealerships lined up in a sketchy part of
town, you'll see an abundance of American flags flying and "no credit
- no problem" deals on vehicles guaranteed to have busted odometers.
The sad part of this whole thing is that it has to do with the
diesels. Here in the USA, we can barely find ANY diesel vehicles
because of the emissions testing.
AG
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