http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2015/09/18/epa-says-vw-intentionally-v iolates-clean-air-standards/?intcmp=hpbt1
In the referenced article, it is being reported that Volkswagen had their programming staff intentionally program the computers controlling the pollution control systems on certain 2008-2015 Audi and Volkswagen diesel vehicles to activate the full pollution control systems ONLY when the vehicle was undergoing official emissions testing. At all other times, the pollution control systems were inactive and the vehicles were putting out emissions as high as 40 times the legal limit. The company is facing $18 billion in fines. It is unclear whether the Volkswagen executives who directed the scheme will face criminal charges. It is also unclear whether the programming staff who wrote the code will face criminal charges. Even though this is not a mainframe issue, it is an issue that directly affects us and our industry. Hackers are already a significant black eye. This is much worse. It makes legitimate programmers look suspect. It raises the uncomfortable question of whether or not we can or should be held criminally liable if we are directed to code a program or a change to a program that we know would have the effect of violating the law and we then knowingly proceed to code that program or a change to a program. It has been suggested in the past that programmers should be licensed and/or bonded. I am not particularly fond of either idea. However, I would like to hear what others think. John P. Baker ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
