These two are not junior engineers. And I doubt that only two people knew about it. If Volkswagen developed diesel engines for the US market and problems arise to meet the requirements these problems have certainly not been solved in a dark back room, over a beer by two engineers. This must have been a topic on a high level. And also the solution must have been discussed.

>Regulator's aren't stupid enough to be fooled by a couple of junior engineers being offered up as a sacrifice. They'll definitely go after the highest-level people they can get.

Maybe in a just world. I don't hold out too much hope.

Well, this time the German government is pissed. There are powerful people at both ends this time.

I think everybody is pissed. Just look at the message: They could not solve a technical problem, so they cheated. Every German engineer must be pissed. And everybody who has to explain, that this is not German industry standard. (at least I hope it is not)

A top aide to the CEO sounds like exactly the kind of person who would be the fall guy in a scandal like this. Important enough for the regulators to be happy, but not someone who has actual power in the company.

> not someone who has actual power in the company.

Two men are named in the article. One is on the Audi board of management. The other is on the Porsche board of management.

I understand where the cynicism comes from, I really do, but it's exhausting to wade through all the uninformed naysaying in this discussion. The above information took me less than a minute to find.

Did you read the article? These two were "put in charge of R&D at Volkswagen." They were literally running the R&D department!

The ceo has already fallen on his sword at volkswagon

Not really. In a case like this people will likely go to jail, so resigning isn't a big deal.

* resigning with a 30 million payout

I thought he just deployed his golden parachute before the shit hit the fan?