[SystemSafety] Automobile Emissions "Cheat" Devices

GRAZEBROOK, Alvery N alvery.grazebrook at airbus.com
Tue Jun 21 16:29:06 CEST 2016


Les, 

I was absolutely with you until the last two sentences

 > From: ... Les Chambers
 >  It is laudable that engineering organisations such as the ACM/IEEE see fit to publish codes of practice, 
 > ... Talk is cheap, words on the page are useless. I think it's time we considered intervention.

In this particular context, giving power & authority to any group of engineers to intervene in commercial activity is a political act. In various safety related industries, these groups exist (EASA, FAA for example), but their power / remit is restricted to their area of interest. Politics is driven by "talk" and important words on important pages, backed up by money and influence. Therefore if you want to intervene (and I broadly support your intention in this) then Talk, Words on Pages, and Influence are precisely the types of intervention that are required. 

Try talking to a sociologist and an economist about what type of organisation could work to achieve your objectives. You'd need it to be able to influence government (regulations) and commercial organisations, and also to be stable within our society, so it lasts for long enough to be useful and can weather the controversy it will inevitably become involved in.

Regards,
	Alvery

-- these opinions are my own, not necessarily those of my employer.  

This email and its attachments may contain confidential and/or privileged information.  If you have received them in error you must not use, copy or disclose their content to any person.  Please notify the sender immediately and then delete this email from your system.  This e-mail has been scanned for viruses, but it is the responsibility of the recipient to conduct their own security measures. Airbus Operations Limited is not liable for any loss or damage arising from the receipt or use of this e-mail. 

Airbus Operations Limited, a company registered in England and Wales, registration number, 3468788.  Registered office:  Pegasus House, Aerospace Avenue, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7PA, UK.




More information about the systemsafety mailing list