IDG Contributor Network: How Volkswagen gamed the emissions tests for its diesel vehicles

In case you haven’t noticed, modern cars are essentially high-end computers with an engine, some shiny metal parts and four wheels.

The “interface” you see for controlling the radio and climate is becoming more and more like a huge iPad in the center of the dashboard. The blindspot detection systems, adaptive cruise control and collision warnings all use complex software algorithms. And, as we have learned recently about emissions testing, there is software that controls how many pollutants spill out of the exhaust system.

Recently, Volkswagen came under fire in the U.S. for “gaming” the emissions tests conducted by the EPA. Three independent analysts told me how this worked, and it’s rather ingenious. It turns out the laws for emissions testing themselves may have played a role as a way to avoid being flagged as "dirty" diesels.

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