Bosch Supplied Software Used By Volkswagen To Defeat Emissons - Warned For Testing Only

German authorities have given the VW Group just more than a week to prove that all its cars meet emissions regulations, amid reports in the national press that the company was warned as long ago as 2007 that using the software that cheated testing processes on production cars would be illegal.

According to a report in German national newspaper Bild am Sonntag, Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), the federal motoring authority, has told VW to demonstrate how it will meet emissions standards without using illegal software by October 7. If it fails to do so, the KBA has warned it could withdraw type approval for the affected models in Germany.
 

TheSteve - 9/28/2015 12:10:43 PM

+4 Boost

From the article: "...Bosch warned the VW Group in 2007 that the software was illegal for road use, and highlighting that it was only being made available for test purposes..."

At what point on the way to selling 11,000,000 of these units to VW could one reasonably expect Bosch to realize that VW was not using these units for testing purposes? My guess is beyond a few thousand, but that's just me. This makes Bosch a knowing and willing accomplice, but did they contravene any law? Is it illegal to manufacture or sell components that defeat pollution control systems?

Agent009 - 9/28/2015 12:58:18 PM

-1 Boost

If Bosch told them it was unsuitable for road use, that is all that is required.

Just like when Delphi told GM they had a defective ignition switch design and GM ignored them.

The parts maker clearly defined the use case and both cases but it was ignored.

TeibNet - 9/28/2015 2:36:38 PM

+1 Boost

You've hit the nail on the head!!!

Vette71 - 9/29/2015 10:14:52 AM

+1 Boost

Agent 009 is correct. If I sell you a product and tell you what not to do with it, especially if it is illegal, and you do it anyway it is your responsibility. Ergo the stickers all over your power tools,etc.

As far as Bosch figuring it out, note that vast numbers of people who, one could argue, should have known (regulators, competitors, etc.) didn't. In fact the rest of the industry, while adding urea systems couldn't figure out how VW was doing it without urea. They couldn't fathom any company being so fraudulently bold as VW was. That's what makes VW's action a huge crime.

Yonder7 - 9/28/2015 12:28:05 PM

+1 Boost

Uhhhh.....I do not understand the North American Lawa, for me the question is: Why did they create a software to cheat with test purposes?. Is like if I try to go to your country without visa to see what would hapen......Sorry for them but for me, they are guilty

TeibNet - 9/28/2015 2:41:51 PM

+3 Boost

There is no dispute as to whether or not VW is guilty; what's being discussed now are the environmental impact, financial impact and the solution path... VW allegedly purchased the software from a 3rd party, allegedly stating that they were going to use it only for test usage--11 million vehicles later...