it is often desirable To read between the lines. The scandal TDI Volkswagen in the united States provides us with more than enough material to read between the lines. Think of it seriously. Volkswagen has faced, also in Europe, to one of the most difficult situations of their history, one of the scandals more important in the automotive industry in the last few years, and the solution was to reprogram the software (a few minutes of work) and in the installation of a conduit with a mesh-like a sieve (less than an hour of work). What has happened for us to meet in this situation? What are the 7 secrets of the 7 conclusions that we can extract by reading between the lines the solution designed by Volkswagen?
Fast and simple: these are the 3 solutions that Volkswagen applied to the motors TDI affected
1. Let us place ourselves in situation. As you yesterday we set out, the engines 2.0 TDI so only will require a reprogramming of the software, the engine is 1.2 TDI is very likely to follow in their footsteps, and the 1.6 engine TDI is the only one that requires a physical modification. This physical modification is really simple and involves the installation of a small, inexpensive tube, with a mesh (like a strainer), which is placed between the air filter and the intake of the engine, reducing the turbulence of the air, improving the measurement of that air, and, as a result contributing to the combustion of higher quality.
The tube in question is the same that you see in the image below, whose mesh can be seen perfectly in the top image, which illustrates this article.
2. Volkswagen could have overcome the european regulations without trick. It is obvious, don’t you think? If sufficient adjustments in the software, and a more precise control of the flow of air into intake, it is clear that Volkswagen, at least in Europe, has been involved in a scandal unnecessary. Which leads us to ask: to what designed then the defeat device?
3. Your obsession to convince the united States of the diesel could be the reason that led Volkswagen to this situation. While it is true that in Europe the solutions to this scandal are simple, in the united States the situation seems much more complicated. The reason is not other than the fact that in the united States, for a long time, have imposed limits far more stringent NOx emissions. So, if there was a market in which the defeat device had any sense, at least it could be justified to take a risk so high, that it was the united States.
4. The economy of scale did the rest. If the defeat device just had a sense in the united States, why also were affected in a european engine? There is No doubt that we are facing one of the consequences of the economy of scale. The Volkswagen Group delivered more than 10 million new cars each year. Many of these vehicles, different models, different brands, share engine, regardless of the market in the market. So those engines, including the AD 189 affected by the scandal of the TDI, have been distributed all over the world using technical solutions designed to cope with different emission regulations, from the european to the more stringent NOx in the united States.
5. The theory of the isolated group of engineers is credible. At least I think, more and more. Why? If to comply with the european regulations would have required solutions as simple as those that have been confirmed officially these days, Volkswagen would not have risked so much, his reputation, and penalties in the millions. Especially in Europe, where the TDI is one of the great emblems of the Volkswagen Group. If anything has become clear is that Volkswagen didn’t need tricks to comply with european regulations. If the knowledge of the presence of this defeat device would have been more extended, we do not doubt that Volkswagen would have been solved in Europe, or at least would be informed of the solutions that met yesterday with the largest advance.
6. A reaction too slow, which might explain precisely that ignorance. The work of communication over the last few weeks is also upgradeable. Among the great sins that achacábamos recently at Volkswagen, we mentioned pride. In may 2014, had already received warnings in the united States that are very likely to find a defeat device in their TDI. Since that time, Volkswagen should have already been provided to a team of engineers to develop solutions that met yesterday. You probably would not have avoided the big problem they have in the united States, but at least they would have been able to prevent the disaster cruzase the Atlantic, which is especulase about how complex and annoying that could be to solutions, that all of the automotive industry and the european governments, the focus of the spotlight in Wolfsburg.
7. The domain of the combustion is more important than we think. While most, including myself, have thought of solutions for NOx reduction, as the NOx trap, or catalysts based on AdBlue, that is to say, to remove the NOx generated in the exhaust gas, the european solution used in the single engine that requires physical modifications was before the admission. This data reminds us of how important it is to design strategies to ensure the combustion quality, not only in terms of efficiency, but also environmental, as a solution to reduce waste as serious as NOx and solid particles.
Video produced by Volkswagen on the technical solution of the TDI affected
Source: Volkswagen
In motor: