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Suspended VW exec Hackenberg resigns in wake of scandal

Ulrich Hackenberg, father of the innovative modular architecture that underpins many modern Volkswagen and Audi products and a 30 year veteran of the giant company, has resigned his position as the lead engineer for the entire Volkswagen Group as well as his seat on Audi's management board, reports Automotive News. The resignation closes out a two-month suspension while the investigation into VW's deceptive emissions practices continues.The resignation follows the admission by Audi that the 3.0-liter TDI V6 engine was also fitted with emissions-control defeating software, like some of its four-cylinder TDI counterparts. In turn, this lead to changes in Audi's management structure. AN reports that Matthias Muller, who has already taken over Martin Winterkorn's position as VW Group CEO, will also be named chairman of the Audi brand.Hackenberg's successor was named as part of this announcement. Stephan Knirsch, who has lead engine development at the Audi division, will assume Hackenberg's roles as both board member for Audi in charge of technical development, and as the head for technical development across the whole group.Related Video:

Volkswagen's emissions deception brings more scrutiny to entire industry

Volkswagen's emissions deceptions have hurt the entire auto industry's credibility with federal regulators. Days after the world's largest automaker confessed to installing software that circumvents emissions standards on approximately a half-million diesel vehicles in the United States, a top federal safety official says the company's dishonesty will force government officials to view the entire auto industry with heightened skepticism. "Your first question has to be, 'How extensive is it through the whole industry?' You don't know if it's a unique case or if other people are doing it," said Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "The unfortunate part is you're not going to worry about one person. It's extended to the entire industry. If they did it, someone else could do it." "They tell you one thing, you question it." - Mark Rosekind Rosekind's agency doesn't bear responsibility in investigating the emissions cheating. That falls to the Environmental Protection Agency, which served Volkswagen with a Notice of Violation on Friday that alleged the company's diesel vehicle equipped with 2.0-liter engines contained a defeat device that allowed the cars to detect when emissions testing was taking place. In normal driving situations, the cars spewed pollution at as much as 40 times allowable thresholds. But because of the emissions cheating, NHTSA wonders if the German automaker has been cutting corners on safety standards or disingenuous on safety-related discussions. Speaking at an auto-industry event in Novi, MI, on Tuesday, Rosekind indicated no information can now be taken at face value. He used the phrase "Question assumptions" several times in discussing the case. "Of course, question assumptions means, 'Is there some other safety element there that we're now going to have to investigate?" he said. As it did in the General Motors ignition-switch probe, the Department of Justice has initiated an investigation of Volkswagen and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce announced it will hold hearings on the cheating. For NHTSA, criminal cases complicate matters. The agency core function is to regulate safety, not conduct criminal investigations. But in the early going, their investigators may be the first ones to spot wrongdoing.

Anti-UAW VW workers move to form own union

The struggle over unionization at the Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, TN, continues to get more complicated. There's now a second union fighting to organize at the plant; although this one is staunchly against the actions of the United Auto Workers. At the same time, the UAW is still signing up voluntary members to its recently created Local 42 at the facility and is reportedly near having a majority of the hourly employees on its side.
The new, anti-UAW union campaign is being spearheaded by employee Mike Burton, according to Reuters, and he calls his group the American Council of Employees. He claims to already have 108 signatures in support of his organization. Burton believes that the UAW is harmful to businesses, and his goal is to force another vote to determine a preferred union among workers.
The UAW was initially defeated (712 to 626) when it attempted a union vote at the Tennessee plant in February. However, UAW secretary-treasurer Gary Casteel told Reuters that Local 42 has already signed up over 700 members. If it can reach a majority of the roughly 1,500 employees, the group hopes VW might consider recognizing it as the factory's union.