Volkswagen Boss Blames Software Engineers For Scandal (bbc.co.uk)

hattig writes: Today VW's Michael Horn is testifying to Congress and has blamed the recent scandal on engineers saying: "It's the decision of a couple of software engineers, not the board members." However, 530,000 cars in the U.S. will need to be recalled for significant engine modifications, not a software fix. Only 80,000 Passats are eligible for the software fix. There is no word on the effects these modifications will have on the cars' performance, fuel consumption, etc. The BBC reports: "The issue of defeat devices at VW has been a historic problem, points out a Congress panel member questioning VW US chief Michael Horn. In 1974, VW had a run-in with US authorities regarding the use of defeat devices in 1974, and in December 2014 it recalled cars to address nox emissions."

Comments

yes, that sounds reasonable

[Pseudonymous Powers]

Fritz: Hey, Hans, you know how we are both software engineers working for Volkswagen?

Hans: What a strange question, Fritz. But yes, I suppose I do know that.

Fritz: Well, I was thinking, these new U.S. emissions standards are actually pretty stringent, and I don't think our diesels can pass them.

Hans: Yes, this is obvious. So?

Fritz: Well, what if we changed the software so that, while the cars were being tested, they behaved in a completely uncharacteristic way so that they could appear to comply with the standard?

Hans: You mean if we wrote a test-detection and -subversion routine into the car's firmware?

Fritz: Yes, of course.

Hans: But how would we personally stand to benefit from that?

Fritz: Well, we'd be able to sell more cars in America that way.

Hans: We? You mean Volkwagen. Sure, until they caught on. But Fritz, we're just engineers--we get paid the same either way.

Fritz: Well, we could tell the executives about it later, and maybe they would reward us.

Hans: No, trust me, the executives won't want to know about it.

Fritz: Yes, they do certainly value integrity over the bottom line. Completely unlike an engineer. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to do it without telling them, and for no good reason at all.

Hans: Yes, that sounds reasonable.

Re:yes, that sounds reasonable

[Qzukk]

Fritz: We should at least tell Steve over in the engine construction department that he won't need to install urea tanks on all of these cars, right?

Hans: Yes, this is good. He will surely share his bonus with us and not throw us under the bus when people discover what we have done.

Re:Uh huh.

[oh_my_080980980]

Go back and read about the issue, then post.

This just in

[easyTree]

Hitler's ghost blames holocaust on single soldier.

Sorry Mike.

Re:Cultural?

[Registered Coward v2]

I'm waiting to see what the German perp walk looks like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...