Yes, it has all been over dramatised. I think it is unforgivable of the CEO of VW/Audi Group that such a climate of fear existed within the organisation that could lead to this cost-saving shortcut, and he cannot expect me to believe that he knew nothing about it. But the cheat itself is not very serious. It simply means that the vehicle ECU recognises that the car is not being steered, and in that situation alters the parameters of the engine to reduce NOx emissions to a level below that when the car is being driven normally. So, in traffic, driving slowly in a straight line, NOx would be reduced as it is for the tests and pedestrians on sidewalks in cities would not actually suffer from inhaling too much of the stuff. Unfortunately, hard acceleration and deceleration massively increase NOx emissions from any diesel powered vehicle (not merely Volkswagens), so unnecessary obstructions such road humps and artificial stoppages are actually more harmful than emissions test cheating. Your car still runs exactly as it did before the scandal broke and it will continue to run exactly the same. By the end of 2016, VWG will have deleted the 'cheat' software in all of the affected cars and modified the EGR systems and DPF systems of those that need it. The greatest damage is to the perception of VWG cars as somehow being superior to other makes, but everyone who bought one is effectively a subscriber to brand snobbery and is likely to continue to support that to protect their investment.