Motion Lighting Dispute
Influential U.S. economic magazine Fortune said that they have yet to find any proof that Samsung Electronics cheated on energy efficiency tests for its TVs.
On Oct. 1 (local time), U.K.-based The Guardian reported that Samsung’s motion lighting feature reduced the TV set brightness and power consumption under International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) test conditions, but recorded higher energy consumption rates for the company’s models in real-world situations. It cited the results of unpublished lab tests by independent E.U.-funded research group ComplianTV. It also said that the Volkswagen scandal is likely to stir up a hornet’s nest of similar suspicions involving large corporations, adding that the next target could be Samsung.
With regard to the Oct. 1 report by The Guardian, Fortune said, “There is no suggestion that Samsung or any other TV manufacturer has acted illegally. Nor is there any direct implication for public health comparable to the problems of excess emission of nitrogen oxides from diesel engines.”
In an Oct. 1 article posted on its website titled “Samsung Fights Back Over Claims It Cheats Its TV Energy Tests,” Forbes also stated, "…nobody seems to be suggesting that anything Samsung might be doing with its TVs is actually illegal….”
The article goes on to say, “The feature of Samsung’s TVs at the heart of ComplianTV’s allegations is called Motion Lighting.” The article states, “…it’s positioned by Samsung as an ‘eco’ feature, designed to deliver energy savings and make the TV more environmentally friendly.” It also reports, “Unlike the Volkswagen emissions feature it doesn’t just miraculously pop up when the TV ‘realises’ that it’s being tested in an energy compliance laboratory. What’s more, the feature is set to ‘On’ by default, rather than automatically toggling on and then off again when certain specific conditions are detected.”
Previously, Samsung flatly denied The Guardian's report by saying, “Motion Lighting is a standard out-of-the-box technology, which is executed right away without any kind of control after being installed. When a TV is plugged in, it continues to operate in the standard mode, which reduces power consumption. So, it is ridiculous to compare our Motion Lighting feature with Volkswagen’s emissions feature.”
In the meantime, The Guardian said the European commission pledged to outlaw the use of defeat devices within the EU’s TV eco-design regulations, saying that any allegations of their use would be fully investigated. “The commission is proposing specific text to clarify that the use of defeat devices is illegal and that products found to behave differently under test conditions cannot be considered compliant,” a spokesperson of the commission said, adding, “The commission will investigate whether this practice is used in other product sectors.”