Live data from Hacker News

Volkswagen Is Ordered to Recall Nearly 500k Vehicles Over Emissions Software

nytimes.com

1–10 of 341 posts

Re: Volkswagen Is Ordered to Recall Nearly 500k Vehicles Over Emissions Software

#5
I research for the auto industry and this was very well known by the authorities. Fixed test cycles like the New European Driving Cycle https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Ne... were easy to detect, and easy to optimize against. That's why coming regulations introduce more realistic cycles like WLTC https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/WL... and real road tests, where particle emissions will be trapped and compared against the lab test, and only a certain % of deviation will be allowed (last time I looked they didn't decided this % yet).

Re: Volkswagen Is Ordered to Recall Nearly 500k Vehicles Over Emissions Software

#6
post #4

How would this benefit Volkswagen? The article says the device activates emissions control systems when it detects the car is being tested... so it's not as if they're saving money by emulating a system they're not manufacturing.

My guess is it uses some part that would need to be replaced (or replaced more often) if left in full use all the time ?

Re: Volkswagen Is Ordered to Recall Nearly 500k Vehicles Over Emissions Software

#7
post #4

How would this benefit Volkswagen? The article says the device activates emissions control systems when it detects the car is being tested... so it's not as if they're saving money by emulating a system they're not manufacturing.

To pass the test with lower emissions. This means lower taxes in some countries, and good PR in every one. Edit: to expand this, consider that in order to reduce emissions like NOx, you often must sacrifice performance, so the customer will complain. When standarised tests were introduced, a crude counter strategy was to trade performance for lower emissions for X amount of minutes (the duration of the test). So customers noticed "hey, my engine works much better after 15 min!" :P

Re: Volkswagen Is Ordered to Recall Nearly 500k Vehicles Over Emissions Software

#8
post #4

How would this benefit Volkswagen? The article says the device activates emissions control systems when it detects the car is being tested... so it's not as if they're saving money by emulating a system they're not manufacturing.

It probably ruins performance -- that's the usual tradeoff with emissions systems.
Post reply on HN