Originally Posted by
MechEngr
The diesel pollution controls are there because the production of particulates and other pollutants are known to end lives. The difference between particulate emissions and airplane crashes is that it's not evident which lives, but the statistics are such that the effect is certain to happen.
The difference between the companies is that VW and Bosch not only knew that falsifying the software would indeed increase the number of unnecessarily early deaths, they also knew that they were acting specifically towards that outcome in order to make sales. Boeing, in contrast, does not seem to have known their efforts would lead to deaths.
The two cases, though with similar outcomes based on similar capitalistic motives, are (unless some memo or whistle blower says different) entirely different in their origin and morality.
This is incorrect.
VW defrauded on the NOx emission not on particulate emissions. There are no meaningful studies on the effects of NOx exposures at the level of road traffic. In fact workplace exposure limits - which in turn are based on actual studies - are 20 times higher than those for a busy road.
The numbers of premature deaths claimed by certain special interest groups are based on general studies that people in more polluted environments have lower life expectancy than in less polluted environments (suprise, suprise), no evidence that the NOx (which is by the way disintegrated to N2 and O2 when exposed to sun light) is responsible has ever been provided. Other pollutants and social economic factors are far more likely the cause.
This shall not defend the actions of VW in any way - laws and standards are to be followed by anyone be it automotive or aeronautical. But the claim that anyone died by VWs actions is rather steep.