Thinking clearly · Chapter 6
Why did the Volkswagen emissions scandal happen?
Volkswagen used software that recognized emissions-test conditions and changed how cars controlled emissions. The gap between passing the test and behaving properly on the road was built into the system, not an accidental bad result.1
What the test was measuring
The EPA notice describes defeat devices in specified diesel vehicles. Software sensed test-related conditions and operated emissions controls differently during normal use. A certificate based on the test could conceal what happened outside it.1
Chapter 6 asks what we choose to value. 'Pass the test' is not the same problem as 'meet the standard in use'. A measure becomes dangerous when achieving it is treated as the whole purpose.
Do not invent a single motive
The notice establishes the technical and regulatory issue. It does not establish that every employee acted from the same motive. My wider lesson about incentives is an interpretation: scrutinize what the system rewards and what its measurement leaves out.
Compare the official measure with the real outcome. Who experiences the result when nobody is watching the test?
A check you can use
- Write the real outcome beside the target metric.
- Test outside demonstration conditions.
- Ask who can challenge the metric when it conflicts with the purpose.
What was the emissions scandal?
It concerned software that reduced emissions-control effectiveness outside recognized test conditions. This notice concerns specific engine and model-year groups, not every car sold by the brand.1
Zafar Alam is a civil engineer and Chartered Construction Manager with about 12 years on major projects. He is the author of What Are We Missing? How to Think More Clearly Before You Decide, planned for 13 February 2027.
Keep thinking
How did Johnson & Johnson handle the 1982 Tylenol crisis?Chapter 6 · Deciding What MattersWhat questions should you ask before making a decision?Chapter 11 · Integrated Decision ArchitectureUse this on a real decision
What are you missing?
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