The worrying part here isn't that the cars are not safe, or that TTIP will allow certified cars from the US be sold in EU, but that the industry tries to hide it.
And that there is apparently a gap between certification in the US and certification in the EU.
Did they really try to hide it though? They didn't attempt to stop the report from being published.
All they did was not promote it themselves. Is that a bit unethical? Perhaps, but saying they actively tried to hide or bury it makes it seem like they tried to stop the researchers from publishing their results or otherwise put pressure on them to fudge their results. Neither of those things happened.
Honestly, I think the Independent is making a big deal out of it because of the current perception around the VW scandal. And everyone in this thread is eating it up. If this same thing happened without the VW scandal, I doubt anyone cares half as much.
Yes it's really fun all around, with EU manufacturers trying to bypass/fudge more stringent US emission regulations and US manufacturers trying to bypass/fudge more stringent EU safety regulations.
I'd take more stringent safety standards over ridiculous emissions standards any day. Though, you could argue stricter safety standards fly in the face of emissions standards. More weight in the car, plus if the occupant survives, their carbon footprint is still there.
People can decide to drive or not drive. Or at least decide to drive less. Kids with asthma and elderly can't decide not to breathe. Although evidently VW was content to effectively encourage them in the direction of not breathing.
EU cars will be recalled all over the globe for cheating, there are no US recalls because they did not cheat. The EU cars violate EU regulations by cheating. It should be fun for them as it appears to be industry wide and state sanctioned. Maybe they can raise their pollution limits enough that they are not recalled in the EU.
And that there is apparently a gap between certification in the US and certification in the EU.