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Ethics Quiz: Chevy Volt Battery

Ethics Quiz: Chevy Volt Battery. Team 2. Problem. A Chevy volt battery caught on fire after undergoing several crash safety tests conducted by the NHTSA. Earned a 5 star rating, the highest possible score

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Ethics Quiz: Chevy Volt Battery

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  1. Ethics Quiz: Chevy Volt Battery Team 2

  2. Problem • A Chevy volt battery caught on fire after undergoing several crash safety tests conducted by the NHTSA. • Earned a 5 star rating, the highest possible score • Later found out that the fire was caused by negligence of the testers and was easily preventable.

  3. About NHTSA • NHTSA stands for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. • Formed in 1970 by the Highway Safety Act. • They work to prevent crashes, and minimize accidents that lead to death or serious injury. • They regulate vehicle safety.

  4. The Chevy Volt • The Chevy volt is a hybrid/electric vehicle manufactured by General Motors. • According to the EPA, the Volt is the most fuel efficient gasoline car on the market, as of February 2013.

  5. What Happened? • The Volt was being tested in a facility in Wisconsin. It underwent the “pole” test where it was rammed 20 mph to simulate a side impact, and the rotisserie test, where it was rotated into various positions to test for leaks that may have occurred during the crash. • The vehicle was later kept in what GM calls the “boneyard” overnight. Evidence suggests that at this point coolant fluid had begun to leak out after the crash test. Eventually, it crystallized overnight in the cold Wisconsin weather causing the battery to short out and catch fire. • A formal cause of the fire was never announced by safety regulators.

  6. Why? • According to GM spokesman Rob Peterson, the NHTSA did not follow the protocol necessary to “de-energize” the battery. He also added that the NHTSA did not know the protocol, which was developed after GM had conducted it’s own tests on the volt. • The fire could’ve resulted a massive PR nightmare for GM, Volt, and electric cars.

  7. Ethics • The fire was easily preventable had a few simple steps been taken after the volt was put through a series of crash tests. • GM at first did not report the cause of the fire. It was only revealed after some digging by thedetroitbureau.com • This incident is a violation of the first part of the rules of practice section of the engineering code of ethics, which states “Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public.”

  8. Citations • http://www.fbi.gov/detroit/press-releases/2010/de072210.htm • http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Who+We+Are+and+What+We+Do • http://www.plugincars.com/epa-rates-chevy-volt-93-mpg-or-60-mpg-or-35-mpg-depending-106498.html

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