Well, back in the 1950s, I don't suppose anyone thought we could be a problem for the world's environment. The world was a much bigger place then (in people's minds).
US and EU emissions standards are different and neither are better.
I think all carmakers are awful to some degree. I thought this was interesting:
"In the United States, automakers conduct their own emissions tests and submit the results to the government. In Europe, automakers pick who conducts the tests and where they are done. And these two regulatory systems are considered the world’s gold standards."
That I didn't know. So basically, the in-house and subcontracted equivalents of the trust system, respectively. At least they have to pretend to try, I guess, which is a step above open, antagonistic disregard.
I was coming from the angle that in pretending, one has to at least take action that has a nonzero effect to go through the motions. You're right, though, in that it can often be worse in that people feel complacent that something is being done, even if that something is virtually nothing.
It's a bit worse, actually. Many of the states conduct emissions tests for licensing. Old cars like mine get the tail pipe sniff test. If the car has a data jack (like the VW diesels), they just plug in and record what the car has been programmed to tell the data collector.
Which is why no one bothered to notice that the actual emissions were different from the reported emissions. The testing companies went with (and were allowed to go with) the least expensive option.
it's practically the trademark of freedom. I guess.
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I think all carmakers are awful to some degree. I thought this was interesting:
"In the United States, automakers conduct their own emissions tests and submit the results to the government. In Europe, automakers pick who conducts the tests and where they are done. And these two regulatory systems are considered the world’s gold standards."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/business/international/volkswagen-emissions-pollution-regulations.html?_r=0
Germans do love their diesels though. I wouldn't mind an old diesel Benz, they're pretty cool.
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It really is all a bad joke.
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Which is why no one bothered to notice that the actual emissions were different from the reported emissions. The testing companies went with (and were allowed to go with) the least expensive option.
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