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Is what they did actually illegal? Or does the law just say that the car must be able to pass such-and-such a test and they deserve a pat on the back for finding a loophole?
They knowingly sold 'off spec' cars as on spec, and coded the software to falsely indicate they were on spec. This is fraud. It is illegal in most places.
The vehicles were well above emissions limits when they weren't in test mode - they weren't legal to sell as mass market vehicles, period. The real question is what this means for owners who have to take theirs in for their annual emissions test: does Billy Bob at the Jiffy Lube have to turn them in if they don't get the defeat device disabled? Is there even a mechanism to communicate that they have to be checked for that?
They won't have to worry about this for awhile. My car is 2 years old and I'm not due for a smog inspection for... oh, I don't even know, but I plan on having a new car by then. Do they even do emission inspections on diesels?
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[–] didntsayeeeee ago
Is what they did actually illegal? Or does the law just say that the car must be able to pass such-and-such a test and they deserve a pat on the back for finding a loophole?
[–] FreeSpeachRocks [S] 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
They knowingly sold 'off spec' cars as on spec, and coded the software to falsely indicate they were on spec. This is fraud. It is illegal in most places.
[–] johnny0 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Exactly. Fraud. In big ol' letters. Capitals all the way.
[–] ShinyVoater 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
The vehicles were well above emissions limits when they weren't in test mode - they weren't legal to sell as mass market vehicles, period. The real question is what this means for owners who have to take theirs in for their annual emissions test: does Billy Bob at the Jiffy Lube have to turn them in if they don't get the defeat device disabled? Is there even a mechanism to communicate that they have to be checked for that?
[–] grlldcheese 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Interesting point.
So was this whole thing destined to blow up after 1 year or did they think they could cheat the state emission tests as well?
[–] lord_nougat ago
They won't have to worry about this for awhile. My car is 2 years old and I'm not due for a smog inspection for... oh, I don't even know, but I plan on having a new car by then. Do they even do emission inspections on diesels?