Early warnings announced against the use of software
The use and potential effects of the use of software in cars have been brought up by the European Commission Joint Research Centre in 2013 where it explained that software can potentially skew the emission readings. Unfortunately, this early warning on the potential use of software was ignored by regulatory agencies and the industry in general. A similar warning was also issued in the United Kingdom on October 2014 but the government also ignored this. The industry only took noticed when independent tests were conducted in Europe and the United States that validated the earlier warnings and assumptions by concerned parties.
Volkswagen Jetta models — like this TDI from 2011 labeled “clean diesel” — were found to have software that cheated official emissions tests, the EPA says. More than 480,000 cars are affecte
One notable test was conducted by the International Council on Clean Transportation, based on the idea of Peter Mock. The initial test covered the diesel engines of Volkswagen Jetta and Volkswagen Passat. Another set of emissions test was also made in the United States, and was facilitated by a team from West Virginia University. The plan was to conduct emissions test on three diesel cars- two Volkswagen cars and a BMW X5. The actual testing started in 2014, and all three vehicles were first certified at a facility in California. For the actual test, the team placed 2,400 km on Volkswagen Jetta and BMW and for the final testing; additional mileage was added on the Passat. Based on the test, the BMW was at the standard or possibly below the industry standard. But it was a different story with the BMW offerings- both Jetta and Passat far exceeded industry emission limits.
FILE – In this May 23, 2011 file photo Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen, participates in a news conference at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Winterkorn promised full cooperation with the government following the company’s admission it rigged nearly a half million cars to defeat U.S. smog tests. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)