I don't think you're implying that tens of thousands of people have died or will die as a direct consequence of VW tampering with their diesel engines.
We all know the consequences of traffic related pollution in terms of public health. The VW fiasco will prove to have been the proverbial pebble on top of the mountain. Nobody will ever know for sure if it caused any actual damage by itself. Whereas we have a confirmed total of 8 deaths directly caused by faulty Takata airbags, plus several injury cases. I think the Takata fiasco is far, far worse also in terms of public faith. And it didn't get half the press coverage it deserved. I came to know about it some two years later by browsing this forum! I was instantly, as I believe anyone was, made aware of the VW incident by the media. I agree about airbags being a blessing: one of my closest relatives' life was literally saved by the airbags (and she was driving a MK II Jazz, I'm proud to say). It's just faulty ones that concern me. Anyway sorry, I don't want to bring this thread off topic.