Volkswagen is about to be raked over the coals for an invention that should be lauded.
The EPA found a glitch in the VW software. Not really a “glitch”, it was actually a brilliant program. The cars could sense when they were getting a pollution test, and altered their own engine settings so they could pass. Then after they drove out of the test bay they would flip into performance mode, and resume their noxious emissions. It’s a situation most guys can relate to, though we called it “a first date”.
It’s really quite clever. In an day when a kid gets invited to the White House for taking apart an alarm clock, VW has shown true genius: A car that’s smart enough to keep you just under the limits of the law. It’s like a robot attorney.
We all break laws when we think no one is watching. Everyone has tasted a grape or two in the grocery store. We all speed, but rarely past a cop. (which is why they hide). Myself I rarely even put on my seatbelt unless I’m driving past one. Personally I would like a car that could detect a cop, and automatically slow down under the speed limit. (I’ll handle the seat belt by myself, right after I throw my phone on the floor.)
But here’s the thing: Does EPA Law mandate that cars always meet the standards, or does it only say that they must meet the standards when being tested? Rather than acquiescing to the government, I think VW should try to fight this in court; they may have stumbled onto an awesome loophole. They passed all the tests, they should be allowed on the road. It’s not unlike how the Kennedy family got through the bar exam, and were still allowed to practice Law. Should VW be punished for inventing cars that were smarter than the EPA regulators?
I kind of want a VW now. Or at least a copy of their software made compatible with my car. It’s probably easier than taking apart the dashboard, and removing that Check Engine light.