ＶＷ排ガス不正 顧客を欺く大規模な規制逃れ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Consumers betrayed by VW’s scheme to evade controls on vehicle emissions
ＶＷ排ガス不正　顧客を欺く大規模な規制逃れ

Despite being touted as “clean diesel” cars, Volkswagen vehicles were found to have discharged emissions that far exceeded the required environmental standards.
　「クリーンディーゼル車」と銘打ちながら、環境基準を大幅に超える排ガスを出していた。

This act betrayed consumers who are strongly concerned about environmental conservation and was extremely pernicious.
　環境保護意識の高い消費者を欺いた行為は、極めて悪質である。

It was recently revealed that the German carmaker had taken illegal measures to ensure its vehicles passed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s emission control tests.
　独フォルクスワーゲン（ＶＷ）が、米環境保護局（ＥＰＡ）の排ガス規制を違法にクリアしていたことが発覚した。

The scheme involved software installed in diesel engines that was designed to make vehicles’ emission levels meet the standard required by the U.S. authorities — but only at the time of the emissions test.
　ディーゼル車の排ガス試験の際、エンジンに搭載したソフトウェアを作動させることにより、基準値を満たすように細工していた。

When the vehicles were driven on the road, the engines were reportedly found to discharge nitrogen oxide at levels up to 40 times the standard.
実際に道路を走行すると、基準値の最大４０倍の窒素酸化物などを排出していたという。

Eleven million Volkswagen vehicles around the world have been affected by the test-rigging scandal. This includes a number of popular models, including the Golf.
　対象車数は世界で１１００万台に上る。ゴルフなどの人気車種も数多く含まれている。

In announcing his resignation to take responsibility for the scandal, Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said, “I am stunned that misconduct on such a scale was possible in the Volkswagen group.” We have to say that Volkswagen lacks corporate governance despite its status as a world-leading carmaker.
　引責辞任するマーティン・ウインターコーン最高経営責任者は「これほどの規模の不正が行われていたとは信じられない」と語った。有数のメーカーでありながら、ガバナンス（企業統治）が欠如していると言わざるを得ない。

Were company executives involved in the irregularities? We want the factors behind the misconduct to be thoroughly revealed by investigations by the EPA and others.
　経営陣は不正に関与していなかったのか。ＥＰＡなどによる調査で、不正の経緯を徹底的に解明してもらいたい。

VW has Audi, Porsche and other carmakers under its wing. With fuel-efficient diesel vehicles as its mainstay product, VW doubled its global car sales to 10 million in the decade from 2004, thereby bringing it into competition with Toyota Motor Corp. for the No. 1 position in the world.
　ＶＷは、アウディ、ポルシェなどのメーカーを傘下に抱える。燃費の良いディーゼル車を主力に据え、２００４年からの１０年間で世界の販売台数を１０００万台に倍増させた。今やトヨタ自動車と首位を競う規模に躍進した。

Heavy price to pay

However, the German maker has been forced to fight an uphill battle in the U.S. market, where strict emission controls are in place and there is strong competition from hybrid vehicles manufactured by Toyota and other carmakers. VW’s irritation over this, it could be said, led to the wrongdoing.
　だが、排ガス規制の厳しい米市場では、トヨタのハイブリッド車などに押され、苦戦を強いられている。ＶＷの焦りが、不正につながったと言える。

VW may be fined up to $18 billion (about ¥2 trillion), which would top its annual profits. The price for its misconduct is very heavy.
　ＶＷには、年間の利益を上回る最大１８０億ドル（約２兆円）の制裁金が科される可能性がある。違法行為の重いツケである。

VW’s diesel vehicles are not officially sold in Japan, although they were scheduled to enter the market next year. The company will inevitably have to reexamine its sales strategy.
　日本では、ＶＷのディーゼル車は正規販売されていないが、来年にも投入される予定だった。販売戦略の見直しは避けられまい。

The European Commission, which is the executive body of the European Union, called for its member nations to conduct a fact-finding survey based on suspicions that carmakers other than VW have also engaged in misconduct. The automobile industry, which holds a key position in each country in which it conducts business, is being tested on its ability to cleanse itself of wrongdoing.
　欧州連合の執行機関、欧州委員会は、ＶＷ以外のメーカーでも不正の疑いがあるとして、加盟国に実態調査を求めた。各国で基幹産業と位置付けられる自動車業界も、自浄能力を試される時だ。

Fierce competition for fuel efficiency among car manufacturers could be behind the VW scandal. Consumers have a strong tendency to choose vehicles that perform even just a little better than others in terms of fuel efficiency. Moreover, many people have pointed out that even in Japan, there is a huge difference between the fuel efficiency figures in product catalogs and what is actually seen in normal use, which causes confusion.
　今回の問題の背景には、メーカー間の激しい燃費競争もあろう。消費者には、少しでも燃費の良い車を求める傾向が強い。日本でもカタログ表記の燃費と実際の走行時の数値の差が大きく、混乱を招いているとの指摘が多い。

A sincere attitude is needed on the part of carmakers to provide consumers with accurate information.
　メーカーに求められているのは、正確な情報を消費者に伝える真摯しんしな姿勢である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 26, 2015)