What was the name of the device Volkswagen used to cheat diesel emissions tests?
Answer
Defeat device
Volkswagen used a defeat device to cheat diesel emissions tests in the emissions scandal.
The software detected when a vehicle was undergoing a laboratory test and changed the engine’s behaviour so that nitrogen-oxide emissions were reduced. During normal driving, affected vehicles could emit far more pollution than the legal limits allowed.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation against Volkswagen in September 2015. The company acknowledged that software had been installed in millions of diesel vehicles worldwide. The scandal led to recalls, criminal investigations, executive resignations, civil penalties, and major damage to Volkswagen’s reputation.
A defeat device is a technical term, not the name of a physical exhaust component. Catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters are emissions-control hardware, whereas the Volkswagen system was software designed to recognize testing conditions. The affair is also known as Dieselgate.