[SystemSafety] Automobile Emissions "Cheat" Devices

[SPRIGGS, John J]

Hundreds if not thousands of engineers probably did not know, and so did not need to "keep their mouths shut"...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-you-know-what-software-does-your-product-john-spriggs?trk=pulse_spock-articles

-----Original Message-----
From: systemsafety [mailto:systemsafety-bounces at lists.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de] On Behalf Of Les Chambers
Sent: 21 June 2016 13:14
To: 'Peter Bernard Ladkin'; 'The System Safety List'
Subject: Re: [SystemSafety] Automobile Emissions "Cheat" Devices

In her study of the risks associated with complex technical systems, sociologist Diane Vaughan calls this phenomenon “normalization of deviance” and classifies it as a pathological behaviour particularly prevalent in engineering organizations. Where small non-compliances with established best practice (even the classical concept of honesty and integrity) are tolerated to the point where they become the normal mode of operation. They build upon themselves until they become a major hazard and then someone is killed. This behaviour is revealed by many disaster forensics, including the O ring situation with the space shuttle. 

If the following pronouncement in the Guardian article is true: 
"The official added that it was common knowledge that lab tests did not reflect real-world NOx emissions, which were up to 20 times higher, but that this could have been due to many factors. “No concrete evidence on the use of defeat devices or of the failure of a member state to act was ever brought to the attention of the commission,” she said."

... Hundreds if not thousands of engineers kept their mouths shut for more than five years. This feat ranks only with the code breakers of Bletchley Park, 9000 of whom kept mum for 30 years, but for righteous reasons: the security of her Majesty's realm, pork pies and warm beer. They are to be congratulated. 

As for the keepers of the secret of the "defeat device", it might be instructive to find one and look into his/her eyes. I think one would find something missing.


-----Original Message-----
From: systemsafety [mailto:systemsafety-bounces at lists.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de] On Behalf Of Peter Bernard Ladkin
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2016 7:34 PM
To: The System Safety List
Subject: [SystemSafety] Automobile Emissions "Cheat" Devices

It seems the EC dropped the ball on car manufacturers' "cheat" devices for exhaust emissions. Not only dropped it in 2010, but hasn't found it since.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/20/european-commission-warned-car-maker-suspected-cheating-five-years-vw-scandal

PBL

Prof. Peter Bernard Ladkin, Faculty of Technology, University of Bielefeld, 33594 Bielefeld, Germany Je suis Charlie
Tel+msg +49 (0)521 880 7319  www.rvs.uni-bielefeld.de







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