Volkswagen diesel scandal
#421
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
But again, none of that would matter if EU enforced its own emissions laws which would simply forbid most of current diesels, not tax them more but forbid completely. Same goes for letting germans do without dpf on petrols with turbos, once again complete disregard for health of their citizens in the name of corporate greed.
but hey, problem is evil facebook spying on us, lets start million comities to work on that and in the meantime raise our NOx limits to 6x higher than USAs .. who cares if Paris has to shutdown traffic every few days due to unbreathable air, it is facebook thats the problem.
hypocrisy knows no bounds.
#422
so it's not only corporate greed (nothing new there, corporations exist to maximize profits) but it's the support of governments to look the other way on testing because they wanted the employment levels maintained by european car factories plus the giant tax revenues from the corporations as well as fuel and vehicle taxes. so greed is not just by corporations.
Their suggestion to temporary lift limits to 6x US limits on NOx, until 2021, if real world testing, is absurd and shows that those laws were never created to protect the customer.
#423
Whistleblowers in VW diesel scandal have until Nov. 30 to come clean
* VW takes step to speed up scandal investigations
* "Every single day counts" -VW brand chief in letter
* Action mirrors whistleblower programmes at Siemens, MAN
* VW seen eager to show cooperation with prosecutors (Adds comments by investor, paragraphs 18-20)
By Andreas Cremer
BERLIN, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Volkswagen has set a deadline at the end of November for its whistleblower programme designed to encourage workers to disclose information about the carmaker's two emissions scandals in a move to speed up investigations.
Europe's largest carmaker has been making slow progress in finding out who had knowledge of the rigging of diesel emissions tests two months after the manipulations became public in the United States, and last week also admitted to cheating on carbon dioxide emissions certifications.
Under the whistleblower programme, approved by VW's top management, workers who get in touch with internal investigators no later than Nov. 30 will be exempt from dismissals and damage claims, according to a letter from VW brand chief Herbert Diess to staff seen by Reuters on Thursday.
"We are counting on your cooperation and knowledge as our company's employees to get to the bottom of the diesel and CO2 issue," Diess was quoted as saying in the document. "In this process, every single day counts."
His comments confirmed an earlier report by Sueddeutsche Zeitung jointly with German broadcasters NDR and WDR.
VW has said it hired advisory firm Deloitte and U.S. law firm Jones Day to investigate under what circumstances the company installed software into diesel cars that changed engine settings to reduce emissions whenever the vehicle was put through tests.
GM'S EXAMPLE
VW is eager to show federal prosecutors in Detroit and Washington that it is fully cooperating with the criminal investigation into the company's admitted use of "defeat devices" in 482,000 U.S. diesel vehicles.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in New York in September cited General Motors Co's cooperation as a factor in the government's decision to impose a $900 million fine for the delayed ignition switch recall linked to 124 deaths and 275 injuries.
By contrast, Bharara's office imposed a fine of $1.2 billion in March 2014 for Toyota Motor Corp's delayed recall over sudden acceleration problems which were linked to only about a half-dozen deaths.
GM's internal investigation was led by Anton Valukas, a former U.S. attorney in Chicago, whose firm interviewed 230 witnesses over 70 days and reviewed 41 million pages of documents.
Bharara at a news conference cited GM's "fairly extraordinary" cooperation and the internal report in ending the government's investigation into GM's conduct on an expedited basis.
GM lawyers, Bharara said, gave U.S. prosecutors real-time updates on the investigation - "often revealing to the office what witnesses had said - even before GM management was filled in ... That cooperation is the reason we are here after only 18 months in a complicated case - rather than four years or more."
As part of the settlement, GM agreed to oversight by an independent monitor who will ensure it makes safety reforms. Last month, the government named former federal prosecutor Bart M. Schwartz to oversee the agreement.
Under the three-year Justice Department settlement, GM was required to establish a toll-free phone number to allow whistleblower employees to anonymously disclose problems to Schwartz.
By contrast, Bharara said Toyota failed to cooperate thoroughly or quickly enough, which he said was one reason for the higher fine and longer investigation.
INVESTOR SPEAKS OUT
The portfolio manager at Union Investment, which holds 0.5 percent of Volkswagen's preference shares, on Thursday urged the company to name new top leadership.
"We would prefer people from outside VW to lead the management and supervisory boards," Ingo Speich said in a statement made available to Reuters. "What matters most now is to regain trust of the capital markets; this cannot be done with the current leadership."
He said the company's current leaders are tainted by their long involvement with Volkswagen. "VW has had its crises over the past ten years but never taken drastic measures. This is their chance to finally take the right action."
'CREATIVE STEP'
Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, called Volkswagen's expedited timeline for whistleblowers "a creative step. They need to break the logjam in the company and get the information that Jones Day needs."
He said it is unusual to tell employees that they could avoid being fired if they come forward, even if they were involved in wrongdoing. But the letter from Diess says VW cannot guarantee that employees will avoid prosecution if they admit involvement.
"They are trying to ferret out information from the midlevel employees who may know what happened but are fearful of being made a scapegoat," Henning said.
A source at VW said the executive and supervisory boards initially sought to have the whistleblower programme run through the end of the year but, encouraged by recent positive feedback, decided to set the more ambitious end-November deadline.
Whistleblower programmes were successfully employed years ago by German engineering group Siemens and VW's truck-making subsidiary MAN to help unveil incidents of corruption amid ongoing bribery probes. (Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Maria Sheahan and Matthew Lewis)
* "Every single day counts" -VW brand chief in letter
* Action mirrors whistleblower programmes at Siemens, MAN
* VW seen eager to show cooperation with prosecutors (Adds comments by investor, paragraphs 18-20)
By Andreas Cremer
BERLIN, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Volkswagen has set a deadline at the end of November for its whistleblower programme designed to encourage workers to disclose information about the carmaker's two emissions scandals in a move to speed up investigations.
Europe's largest carmaker has been making slow progress in finding out who had knowledge of the rigging of diesel emissions tests two months after the manipulations became public in the United States, and last week also admitted to cheating on carbon dioxide emissions certifications.
Under the whistleblower programme, approved by VW's top management, workers who get in touch with internal investigators no later than Nov. 30 will be exempt from dismissals and damage claims, according to a letter from VW brand chief Herbert Diess to staff seen by Reuters on Thursday.
"We are counting on your cooperation and knowledge as our company's employees to get to the bottom of the diesel and CO2 issue," Diess was quoted as saying in the document. "In this process, every single day counts."
His comments confirmed an earlier report by Sueddeutsche Zeitung jointly with German broadcasters NDR and WDR.
VW has said it hired advisory firm Deloitte and U.S. law firm Jones Day to investigate under what circumstances the company installed software into diesel cars that changed engine settings to reduce emissions whenever the vehicle was put through tests.
GM'S EXAMPLE
VW is eager to show federal prosecutors in Detroit and Washington that it is fully cooperating with the criminal investigation into the company's admitted use of "defeat devices" in 482,000 U.S. diesel vehicles.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in New York in September cited General Motors Co's cooperation as a factor in the government's decision to impose a $900 million fine for the delayed ignition switch recall linked to 124 deaths and 275 injuries.
By contrast, Bharara's office imposed a fine of $1.2 billion in March 2014 for Toyota Motor Corp's delayed recall over sudden acceleration problems which were linked to only about a half-dozen deaths.
GM's internal investigation was led by Anton Valukas, a former U.S. attorney in Chicago, whose firm interviewed 230 witnesses over 70 days and reviewed 41 million pages of documents.
Bharara at a news conference cited GM's "fairly extraordinary" cooperation and the internal report in ending the government's investigation into GM's conduct on an expedited basis.
GM lawyers, Bharara said, gave U.S. prosecutors real-time updates on the investigation - "often revealing to the office what witnesses had said - even before GM management was filled in ... That cooperation is the reason we are here after only 18 months in a complicated case - rather than four years or more."
As part of the settlement, GM agreed to oversight by an independent monitor who will ensure it makes safety reforms. Last month, the government named former federal prosecutor Bart M. Schwartz to oversee the agreement.
Under the three-year Justice Department settlement, GM was required to establish a toll-free phone number to allow whistleblower employees to anonymously disclose problems to Schwartz.
By contrast, Bharara said Toyota failed to cooperate thoroughly or quickly enough, which he said was one reason for the higher fine and longer investigation.
INVESTOR SPEAKS OUT
The portfolio manager at Union Investment, which holds 0.5 percent of Volkswagen's preference shares, on Thursday urged the company to name new top leadership.
"We would prefer people from outside VW to lead the management and supervisory boards," Ingo Speich said in a statement made available to Reuters. "What matters most now is to regain trust of the capital markets; this cannot be done with the current leadership."
He said the company's current leaders are tainted by their long involvement with Volkswagen. "VW has had its crises over the past ten years but never taken drastic measures. This is their chance to finally take the right action."
'CREATIVE STEP'
Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, called Volkswagen's expedited timeline for whistleblowers "a creative step. They need to break the logjam in the company and get the information that Jones Day needs."
He said it is unusual to tell employees that they could avoid being fired if they come forward, even if they were involved in wrongdoing. But the letter from Diess says VW cannot guarantee that employees will avoid prosecution if they admit involvement.
"They are trying to ferret out information from the midlevel employees who may know what happened but are fearful of being made a scapegoat," Henning said.
A source at VW said the executive and supervisory boards initially sought to have the whistleblower programme run through the end of the year but, encouraged by recent positive feedback, decided to set the more ambitious end-November deadline.
Whistleblower programmes were successfully employed years ago by German engineering group Siemens and VW's truck-making subsidiary MAN to help unveil incidents of corruption amid ongoing bribery probes. (Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Maria Sheahan and Matthew Lewis)
#425
Pit Crew
Here, you're dealing with the German government who will decide what they want to share with the US government and then the US decides what will become available under FOI and when.
In other words, unless VW turns it over to the free press, you won't see anything for about a year and then, not all of it.
#427
Lexus Test Driver
^^^ Is that a lot? 5% seems like hardly a dent. After wall street banking fiasco, Enron's, Traders being caught manipulating minor, we've all become desensitized to "cheating". Heck, even our own lawmakers passed an law that insider trading for THEM is legal. (IIRC) Sad state of affairs really. Sends a different message to our young.
#428
Lexus Fanatic
Probably from the big incentives they're offering to move new cars. Some VW fans may not really care about the scandal, or see this as a new-car buying opportunity at a good price.
#429
live.love.laugh.lexus
iTrader: (42)
Sales seem to be doing well as new car inventory is low. But appears there's MORE BAD news:
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/11/20/e...issions-cheat/
#430
Lead Lap
The plot thickens LOL. Bosch is being investigated now. Get them hot cayenne deals while you can
#434
Lead Lap
European Owners are getting no love according to VW, they didnt lie as it was sold as a normal vehicle, rather then in the US where it sold it as a more advanced vehicle, and Diesel prices are higher lol
#435
Pit Crew
VW just announced their support program for VW diesel owners in Europe. Basically, they get nothing. No $500 gift cards or repair cards or roadside rescue support for 3 years. Just a, "we'll find a way to fix your car". Somehow I get the feeling this subject isn't over in Europe.