The shocking revelations concerning VW’s cheating of diesel engine emissions readings has sent the presently buoyant car industry into turmoil. The effects of the VW scandal will take time to be fully known, but there’s no doubt it will have an impact on the automotive industry going forward.
The VW emission scandal
The scandal originated in the United States where it was discovered that certain VW diesel engined cars had software that detected when the engine was being emission tested and adjusted certain settings to enhance emissions readings. Some eleven million cars globally are said to have this software fitted.
Emission testing
The way cars are tested for exhaust emissions is already coming into sharp focus. It’s now emerging how the tests make it possible for a car to perform better than it might in real world conditions – even without the VW manipulation of emission control.
For example, during testing cars can have their alternators disconnected which saves fuel and thus reduces emissions. The engine drives the alternator which, in turn, is essential in recharging the car’s battery.
It has also emerged that gaps on the car – such as door jams – can be covered with tape to improve aerodynamics and thus improve fuel economy and emissions, as can the removal of door mirrors during testing. These measures are not possible in real world use, of course. Everyone learning to drive knows a door mirror on the driver’s side is a legal requirement – and a vital part of being able to spot the hazards in and around a vehicle.
Changes needed
Changes to the emissions and fuel economy test are likely. It’s already known that most drivers don’t usually achieve the ‘official’fuel consumption figures published by manufacturers, so this alone clearly needs an overhaul – and the momentum started by the VW story may usher in more realistic fuel economy and emissions testing.
Commenting on the VW issue, the Chief Executive of the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) admitted that: “The current regime needs to be reformed, and to be reformed quickly.”
He does, however, stand up for the industry generally by maintaining that it has made ‘years of progress’in reducing harmful emissions and says the actions of VW shouldn’t tarnish the whole industry.
Confidence and trust
Motor manufacturers rely a lot on reputation and a while a good reputation can last over several years, so can a poor one. VW’s reputation for quality, modern engineering and innovation could suffer in the years to come.
People will worry that other car manufacturers have been up to similar falsifications as VW, so car makers may have to move fast to show they haven’t. Soon after the VW storm broke, fellow German manufacturers BMW and Mercedes assured the public at large they hadn’t been involved in anything similar regarding emissions.
The future of diesel
In recent times there’s been a growing awareness that diesel, while being good from a CO2 gas point of view, does emit levels of nitrogen oxide and harmful particulates that present their own environmental issues.
Unless it can be proven that diesel is still a relatively clean choice, the VW scandal may cause its popularity to decline sharply, especially if more stringent testing reveals it to be ‘dirtier’than previously thought. This could hasten the advent of alternative fuel cars such as hybrids and electrics faster than the current rate of adoption.
