It’s the hot topic of not only the automotive industry, but of much of the business world, too. The Volkswagen Group emissions scandal rocked many as it was found the company had installed a defeat device to many of its diesel vehicles, cheating EPA ratings.
Former General Motors executive, Bob Lutz, recently had an interview discussing his thoughts on Apple’s electric vehicle project, and the unfolding Volkswagen scandal. Fox Business penned an op-ed on the auto exec’s words, but we’re simply here to share Lutz’s words, not elaborate on them as Fox has.
When asked about Volkswagen’s predicament, the former GM and Chrsyler exec had this to say:
Well, I hope and I assume that the government is going to come down on them very hard because, unlike Toyota’s unintended acceleration and unlike the GM ignition switch scandal, if you want to call it that, those were acts of, you could say, negligence or lack of proper oversight but this was willful cheating. I mean this is like deflating footballs or taking drugs in the Tour de France. This is willful. And to me that makes it a lot worse.
Things can get testy when comparing the VW emissions scandal to the GM ignition-switch conundrum, where there sits a fine line between negligence and lack of oversight, like Lutz mentions.
General Motors recently came to a deferred prosecution agreement, dropping the criminal investigation by the U.S. government, by paying a $900 million fine. Should the U.S. government seek maximum penalties per vehicle with Volkswagen, the dollar amount could potentially reach $18 billion.
Comments
“Fox Business penned an op-ed on the auto exec’s words, but we’re simply here to share Lutz’s words, not elaborate on them as Fox has.”
GMA routinely opines on Lutz’s words – don’t try to put yourselves above the most watched cable news network. They opine less on Lutz than you guys do.
“Things can get testy when comparing the VW emissions scandal to the GM ignition-switch conundrum, where there sits a fine line between negligence and lack of oversight, like Lutz mentions.”
Sounds like a commentary on his comments to me.
Fox Business is far from number one. As for Fox News (or Faux News, as known by detractors) it is far too polorizing for a politically neutral site like GMA.
A link it’s more than adequate.
just to make sure the facts are correct. Fox News is, per the ratings, well above any other “news” station for number of viewers.
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/09/25/cable-news-ratings-for-thursday-september-24-2015/471795/
Cable news ratings are insignificant, nobody watches news on cable unless they are over 55 years old, precisely the demographic for Fox (I have a reference as well – the Pew Research Center says less than 38% watch news on cable). Meanwhile, Murdoch’s other properties are dying – News of the World was closed, The Australian (newspaper) is losing more money than his other Aussie businesses are making, he lost control of Sky, the New York Post has to be given away for free, and Trump is trumping his favored Bush. Now get off GMAuthority please.
Wow! I feel sorry for all those who are getting the wrong news every day!
Like the others aren’t?
We do know yet who within VW approved this law breaking software. (Are EPA requirements laws?) We do know they were aware it was against the law per the Bosch statement back in 2008.
Many have quit or been fired but I have not seen where they actually approved the software.
I am sure they have learned from GM and Toyota and that they will take the GM way and do an internal investigation on their own and bring everything out and fire the ones who actually approved and knew of this.
The engineers at the Asian and other European and American OEM’s must have been scratching their heads trying to figure out how the hell the Germans made the emissions numbers.
I would assume they purchased a few engines/units as do all OEM’s so as to understand competitive engineering. Did they miss it our keep quiet?
Waiting to see if German units from other German OEM’s may also have “issues”.
The collaboration and interaction between suppliers and competitive engineering staff often transcends NDA’s. Also within the timeframe of the first introduction of the defeat process and today I have to believe some staff changed job responsibilities as well as changed companies…it seems highly possible more individuals, suppliers and OEM’s know than are currently identified.
I believe the whole thing was discovered by some students at University of West Virginia. I don’t know what they were testing or validating but I caught a snippet of it on CNN. They are an honest and truthful news station aren’t they? It was a quick summary of the background behind the VW problem – a history of events leading up to the current situation
What’s the big deal the Feds made the test VW passed the test. it ain’t cheating unless you get caught. Or is that just a NASCAR thing .
Find the September 18 letter by the EPA here: http://www3.epa.gov/otaq/cert/documents/vw-nov-caa-09-18-15.pdf
There is September 25 update at the EPA.gov website
Look up tonight and that is not the full moon but Smokey Yunick looking down with a big old smile for the Germans.