These are two issues independent of each other.

One argument doesn't make the other in any way worse or better

I'm a German, I was not aware that VW was doing this until it came out and it was a huge blow out.

Do you think people just test their cars fume output?! You do understand that the software was build to detect being on a test stand right?

Who reverse engineers software like this...

The Scandal was big in Germany and contrary to complaints about Musk there was quite a lot legal action against VW (while law has some restrictions preventing huge damage claims as in the US) so I don't really understand the comparison.

Why is this irony? One is being done out in the open and the other was unknown for years, so unless "the far left" knew about the defeat devices, this is a false dichotomy.

Its a false dichotomy either way because VW and the handling of the administration back then was heavily criticized by many parties, including left leaning parties like the greens

I don't understand. It's not like the far left is Volkswagen's fan club?

Elon campaigned for the German far right party which basically everyone including Germans conservative party regards as fascist. It's not a far left thing to oppose that

There were multiple protests in 2016.

They protest every time a company fucks up like that.