PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.—Friday,
September 18, it was all over every newspaper, television and radio talk show.
Volkswagen, the German car company, well known for their Jetta and Golf models,
was caught in a scandal involving cheating on emissions tests for their diesel
vehicles.
The “diesel dupe” is affecting 11
million cars worldwide, which are equipped with the “defeat device,” which can
detect when the vehicle is being tested and change performance accordingly to
yield better results.
The EPA discovered this by
noticing the engines had computer software that could sense test scenarios by
monitoring speed, engine operation, air pressure and even the position of the
steering wheel. The device appears to have put the vehicle in a type of safety
mode, making the engine run below its normal levels of power and performance.
Full details of how this system
functions are fuzzy, but Volkswagen has openly admitted to purposely conducting
unethical business. The Volkswagen American boss, Michael Horn, put it best,
“We’ve totally screwed up.”
Approximately 500,000 vehicles
have been recalled in the United States alone. Former chief executive, Martin Winterkorn,
said the company knows it has lost the trust of its customers and currently,
its most urgent task is to win it back.
In the North Country, there are
three Volkswagen dealerships around Lake Champlain and many other car companies
who carry Volkswagen vehicles. People are loyal to this brand because of their
overall safety ratings, numerous awards on multiple vehicle models and reputation
among competitors.
Some customers have reacted very
negatively to this scandal, while others are willing to give the company a
chance to bounce back.
Cleirys Perez, of Plattsburgh,
currently owns a 2001 Volkswagen Golf and has not taken the scandal well. She has
decided that she will be purchasing a Honda Accord in the near future because,
“they were disloyal to their customers. They lied to us.”
Other Volkswagen owners have a
more lenient opinion about the scandal. Sean Murphy, of Plattsburgh, first
heard about the situation in one of his classes at SUNY Plattsburgh and was
shocked. “I do not trust the company and will not until they earn it back,”
said Murphy. Murphy has no plans of getting rid of his 2008 Volkswagen Passat
anytime soon because his car has not been recalled and has been a reliable ride
back and forth to school.
What are Volkswagen owners
advised to do? Currently, the EPA said you should continue using your car as
you always have. They are still safe to drive; just not safe for the
environment.
Just because they are safe to
drive doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stay informed; Volkswagen’s resale value may
drop and states could require proof that the problem has been fixed before they
are registered or renewed.
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