MIME 498 Ethics report
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School
Oregon State University, Corvallis *
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Course
498
Subject
Mechanical_engineering
Date
Jun 2, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by UltraValor2353
Sydney Bruton
Team 24-18: Puzzle Box
School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering
MIME Capstone Design II
MIME 498 Spring 2022
Engineering Ethics Case Study
1.
Summarize the case study in 1-2 paragraphs.
I chose to look at case study A. The basics of the case study are that in 2015 Volkswagen was exposed for installing software known as a “defeat device” into some of their diesel vehicles that were sold in the United States. This software could be used to detect when a vehicle was undergoing emission testing and adjust the engine performance to meet all of the required standards. This adjustment however only worked during the tests,
so during normal driving conditions, the level of pollutants expelled from the cars was far higher than the regulatory limits. Volkswagen did this so they could falsely advertise their products as environmentally friendly. 2.
What were the ethical dilemmas of this case study from an engineering standpoint? You may list them or provide a 1-2 paragraph summary here.
There are a bunch of ethical elements in this case. From an engineering standpoint, there is first the issues of fraud and deception. This is not only in the design & implementation of the technology but also in lying to the customers. The engineers knowingly created this technology to get around the emissions regulations to get higher short-term gains over the environmental and health concerns. They also violated the trust and safety of the public. By misleading consumers, Volkswagen endangered the public and undermined the credibility of the company. 3.
Who was affected by this issue? Be sure to think big picture here, not just the immediate people that were affected. You may list them or provide a 1-2 paragraph summary here.
The affected parties in this case study are not just the company or its immediate customers. The increased emissions from the Volkswagen vehicles significantly affected the
environment. High levels of pollutants contribute to air pollution, which can cause respiratory issues and contribute to climate change. Besides all of that, this case study affected the rest of the automobile industry. All companies faced scrutiny and distrust to the point where regulator and policymakers had to reassess their enforcement mechanisms to prevent similar occurrences in the future. 4.
Provide a citation list here of the sources you used to learn about this case study.
EPA. (n.d.).
Learn about Volkswagen Violations
. https://www.epa.gov/vw/learn-about-
volkswagen-violations
Hotten, R. (2015, December 10).
Volkswagen: The Scandal explained
. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-34324772
Volkswagen to spend up to $14.7 billion to settle allegations of cheating emissions tests and deceiving customers on 2.0 liter diesel vehicles
. Office of Public Affairs | Volkswagen to Spend Up to $14.7 Billion to Settle Allegations of Cheating Emissions Tests and Deceiving Customers on 2.0 Liter Diesel Vehicles | United States Department
Sydney Bruton
Team 24-18: Puzzle Box
of Justice. (2024, April 5). https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/volkswagen-spend-147-
billion-settle-allegations-cheating-emissions-tests-and-deceiving
Sydney Bruton
Team 24-18: Puzzle Box
Engineering Ethics and Capstone
1.
What do you believe is engineering ethics, in your own words (1-2 paragraphs)?
To me, engineering ethics is the obligation that every engineer has to have to fulfill the moral obligations and responsibilities towards the environment, society, and future generations to come. Every engineer must understand that the power and impact they hold in their hands means that each decision made has to be conscientious. This means we must all must focus on prioritizing safety, sustainability, and the common good of the Earth. Engineering ethics means to be truthful, to have integrity within your work or designs, to be transparent in your decision-making, and to take accountability for any consequences that may come from your decisions or technological advancements. 2.
Why is engineering ethics an important topic to keep in mind as an incoming practicing engineer (1-2 paragraphs)?
As most of the class finishes up their final few classes before their degree understanding engineering ethics is extremely important for the future. All of the almost graduated, new engineers, must understand that their work will directly influence the well-being of individuals, communities, and the world. As engineers, we are privileged to be able to grow the movement of innovation and create solutions to problems that haven’t been solved yet. But if these ethical considerations are overlooked then there is a potential of unintended harm (or intended harm like in he case study). As students start their new lives as new engineers, ethical awareness and decision-making skills are essential for navigating ethical dilemmas that they might face in the future. 3.
Provide a critical assessment of how engineering ethics pertains to your capstone
project (2-3 paragraphs). Example questions to consider include:
While working on our capstone projects all teams must use engineering ethics
throughout the project. Even though a puzzle box doesn’t seem super dangerous, the
safety and well-being of users and stakeholders should be our first worry. This means
that my team must conduct risk assessments, create designs that are user-friendly, and be completely transparent about any potential hazards or limitations of the system. Secondly, my team and future puzzle box teams must look at environmental sustainability, mostly in terms of lowering resource consumption, reducing waste, and mitigating any potential or future negative impacts on the environment. On a different note, during this project and going into the future, all students must work on taking accountability and being transparent during all stages of project creation. Honest communication between the team members and the stakeholders about the limitations or uncertainties in any pitched design is very important ethically. Open dialogue about ethical concerns should always be promoted and providing opportunities for ethical reflection and decision making is important.
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