The storms around Volkswagen.
After two months of constant new alarm is easy to feel confused. Ny Teknik Eddie Pröckl sort out what happened.
What is the emission scandal about?
Two things. Partly emissions of NO x and particles from diesel cars. Partly emissions of carbon ie fuel consumption, and it applies to both diesel and petrol cars. In both cases, it has emerged that the cars emit significantly more in reality than they do on tests for type approval.
Volkswagen seems hard hit?
“Afflicted” is not a word I would use in this context. Volkswagen have admitted that they have been cheated by both the emissions of NOx in the 11 million cars and carbon dioxide emissions of 800,000 cars, of which 100,000 are petrol cars.
But do not all manufacturers that?
You could say that. In Europe, releasing diesel cars in the cut out 400-600 percent more NO x than threshold. Almost all newer cars pulling up to 20-40 percent more fuel than what is in the approval.
What ?!
The car companies are designing their engines and their emission based on legal requirements. It is not expressly required and tested ignore it in. Competition is fierce, purification costs money. A thirsty and dirty motor is more alert and less expensive to build than a needle and clean.
Why are the legal requirements are not better?
The automotive industry has opposed the strict requirements and the rapid introduction, and the authorities have taken into account. The automotive industry is important in countries where it exists. Since legislators have simply not thought to legislate in all the details, and the industry has been good at finding loopholes.
Is it true that one can do their tests for approval anywhere in Europe?
In any country, yes.
How it is possible to choose the country where they are kindest to the test station, or easiest to bribe?
In principle, yes, if there is such a thing. But it has not yet been demonstrated that it is so.
But if all are villains, why scold you then on VW?
The other customizing cars’ performance to legal requirements and testing regulations, while VW has adapted performance so it will withstand legal requirements the actual test, but not otherwise.
What is the VW done?
If we start with NO x emissions is the installed software in the cars that detects when the car running in a test rig and then turn on full-NO x purification. When the car is running normally closed NO x -reningen down.
But if it works as it should in the test, they can not have it on all the time so will everyone happy?
The problem is that when the car uses more fuel and less alert and less worth on the market.
How have they done technically?
We do not know. They have admitted that they cheated with the software and promised full transparency and all the cards on the table, but still after two months with a company full of first-class engineers, they claim that they “have information” about how it all happened.
Do you believe what they say?
Not a moment.
And with CO 2 emissions?
There was one employee who raised the alarm, it has identified 800,000 cars where emissions are not true. There they have mixed diesel oil in the engine oil and increased air pressure in the tires to 3.5 bar to obtain a low so-called roll-value. It is in turn the basis for the consumption value of the type approval.
How is that?
Roll-out value, which should correspond to the air resistance and friction on the road and in the car, there will be resistance placed on the engine when measuring consumption during the test. A low roll-value results in lower fuel consumption.
How have they been able to be certified?
There are great “flexibility” when it comes to how to “condition the” car at the rollout. Most manufacturers make use of everything that is not prohibited, as the trap door mirrors, have special tires and tape for all slots in the body. Apparently it was not enough for the VW engineers to reach their emission targets, but it pumped up the tires in addition to over 3.5 bar.
Is that not allowed then?
Yeah, but unlike some other details, the pressure the tires during the roll-out to be equal to that recommended to the customer. And it was not here.
Did not anyone notice it?
Obviously was not controlled air pressure. Manufacturers will first make its own roll-out, then say to the value before the certification test. The test lab will then make its own roll-out and compare. There should also check all the inputs coming from the manufacturer. But the test lab where VW makes its approvals checked obviously not the air pressure in the tires. The national test lab has also been criticized for laxity. EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, Elzbieta Bienkowska, have said they will no longer be trusted and must be monitored.
What now?
Everything gets better. It is like around 1998 when the truck manufacturers were caught with the hood up and your pants down and the same kind of cheating that VW now been doing. The rules were tightened, manufacturers tightened up, the controls were better. Now it is almost impossible to cheat for heavy trucks and so it will be for cars, too.
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