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Volkswagen Ordered To Recall 500K Vehicles Over Its Own Malicious Programming

Posted by Soulskill on from the hand-in-the-cookie-jar dept.

Etherwalk writes: The Obama Administration today ordered Volkswagen to recall 500,000 4-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from model years 2009-15. The vehicles were programmed to turn on more thorough emissions control and generate cleaner readings when tested for emissions than they did when in ordinary operation. In effect, the software made everything operate normally when you looked at it, just like any good malware.

8 of 411 comments (clear)

  1. Don't take yours in. by HornWumpus · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Translated: If you have one, don't take it in, unless you want it to run even worse.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    1. Re:Don't take yours in. by leehwtsohg · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Some people care about the emissions from their car...

    2. Re:Don't take yours in. by ZeroPly · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If the car drove well while complying with emissions requirements, it's doubtful that Volkswagen would have risked an obvious legal violation for some marginal performance gains.

      And since they're not going to give you a new engine when you take your car in for recall, it's safe to say that the performance will be reduced when you get it back. For the majority of people, a slight difference in emissions would be preferable to a noticeable drop in performance.

      --
      Support microSD: in a post 9/11 world, it is unwise to carry your data on media that you cannot comfortably swallow.
    3. Re:Don't take yours in. by flappinbooger · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Some people care about the emissions from their car...

      just like some people like low flow shower heads and low flow toilets.

      --
      Flappinbooger isn't my real name
    4. Re:Don't take yours in. by suutar · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Depends which emissions they're concerned about. Diesels (as I recall) are worse for particulates and NOx, but better as far as CO2.

  2. Re:No fine? by sjames · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Actually, it is. It is fraud.

  3. Thanks, Obama? by mothlos · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Saying "The Obama Administration [sic]" makes it sound like some sort of political meddling was behind this action. While the EPA is part of the executive bureaucracy, this does not stink of Obama political officials pushing an agenda, but just normal regulatory oversight and it therefore should be attributed to the agency.

  4. Yes, Emissions free, tragedy of the commons by Etherwalk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For the majority of people, a slight difference in emissions would be preferable to a noticeable drop in performance.

    For the majority of individuals, yes. Because you're not *paying* for the harm your emissions do.