Rumors Swirl That Fired Audi Engineer Was Secretly Hiding A Document To Protect CEO

I just find the assertion preposterous that the Dieselgate scandal was perpetrated by a handful of rogue engineers, working in isolation, and the management chain all the way to the top... just didn't know. Preposterous!

This is especially obvious in the light of all the "revelations" that have occurred since September 2015 when Dieselgate first broke: email audit trails, rampant and systemic "Management by Fear and Intimidation" at VW, emails between Bosch and Volkswagen in which Bosch believes they would be held harmless if they just said (paraphrased) "the millions of units we're shipping to you don't pass legal requirements so they can be used for testing only".

It's just ridiculous.

And what's even MORE ridiculous is that VW is *still* steeped in arrogance, anti-customer posturing, and covering their butts every step of the way while issuing (untrue) PR statements that they are "fully co-operating" with US authorities.

I have NO PROBLEM believing that the original Dieselgate scandal WAS indeed STARTED by a handful of engineers who overpromised and could not deliver their required goals.

And I even believe that the original software produced by Bosch was INTENDED for testing only.

However - It was abundantly clear to Bosch that the software was being used in far greater numbers than "testing" would allow - and knowing that prevented them from being held harmless. AND I also believe that - because of the passing of that much time - that this had to be known by people further up the chain - probably even to the head Engineer at VW.

I can believe that at least some - and probably most Corporate management did not know (I believe they would have tried to end it sooner if they did) - there are still lots of Board Members who simply do not get into the engineering niceties - being on the Economic or Marketing side and not involved much in the mechanics. Being in corporate management - and having sat on several Boards of Corporations - there are lots of people on those boards who would not understand the basics of the manufacturing process of small items on the cars - much less how an assembly line really works. These people are there to manage PEOPLE not Process - which is left to the next lower level of management mostly. In the case of VW - where the Highest Corporate Officers were originally in the Manufacturing arena - I cannot be sure that extends to them. The reason why I do not - is because I would have expected - after a short period of time - for those who DID these things to LEAVE the company to protect themselves. That apparently few did - is just plain stupid.

TomM re "...I have NO PROBLEM believing that the original Dieselgate scandal WAS indeed STARTED by a handful of engineers who overpromised and could not deliver their required goals..."

My understanding was that it didn't play out this way. VW executives decreed (paraphrased) "make it happen or I'll find someone who will." This was within the context of pervasive and systemic "management by fear and intimidation." The decree was not issued with the understanding of "but it has to be legal." Similarly, Dieselgate is not the first or only example of people doing ethically questionably or outright illegal things, fearing prompt dismissal if they didn't deliver results fast. (Other examples include VW doing fraudulent fuel economy tests, lying on noise and emissions certification documentation in numerous markets, etc.)

Meanwhile, it's ridiculous to claim the management chain had no idea this was happening. To propose otherwise, we must have a scenario like this series of events:
(1) Management issues directive (make our diesels pass emission laws)
(2) Employees say we haven't figured out how to do this.
(3) Management decrees "Make it happen, or I'll find someone who will."
(4) EMployee(s) comes up with a solution to make the problem go away.
(5) Managers are not curious why it was impossible before, but possible now. They don't investigate. Resume with "business as usual."

Communication audit trails and corroborating testimony has clearly established that the fraud was well known all the way to the top. Who knows why VW execs chose not to raise a red flag, alert authorities, and TRULY co-operate with them to remedy this. Who knows why VW still, to this day, is busy covering their butts and stone-walling US authorities while issuing "We're fully co-operating" PR.

Piech knew.