VW says 11 million vehicles affected by emissions scandal

The emissions disaster surrounding the Volkswagen Group today worsened as the carmaker admitted that as many as 11 million vehicles world-wide could be affected by the software used to fudge emission tests. Moreover, Volkswagen said that the engine management software in question was also installed in other Volkswagen Group vehicles with diesel engines, but it further added that it won’t have an effect in most of the affected cars. The engine under discussion is the Type EA 189 which would show false emission results when tested.

Some unconfirmed German media reports stated that Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn might be replaced by Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller. However, the carmaker was quick to deny the rumour. 

Volkswagen assured that it was actively working to eliminate the discrepancies caused through technical measures and plans to set aside a provision of 6.5 billion Euros (around Rs 47,844 crore) to cover costs.

“Discrepancies relate to vehicles with Type EA 189 engines, involving some eleven million vehicles worldwide. A noticeable deviation between bench test results and actual road use was established solely for this type of engine. Volkswagen is working intensely to eliminate these deviations through technical measures,” according to the second official statement on the matter issued by the carmaker. The first one was pertaining to VW boss Martin Winterkorn’s apology.

“Further internal investigations conducted to date have established that the relevant engine management software is also installed in other Volkswagen Group vehicles with diesel engines,” it added.

The German carmaker could be fined an amount of USD 18 billion for cheating emission regulation tests by the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) in the United States. The German firm used software or a 'defeat device' on its diesel cars for tricking official emission tests. This installed software could detect when the cars were undergoing EPA tests, and turn on the emission control systems of the vehicles, making them emissions compliant.

Following the expose of the scandal by the EPA – which conducted tests on 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel cars – VW boss Martin Winterkorn issued an apology for breaking the trust of its customers and the public. Moreover, Michael Horn, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America also admitted that the carmaker was dishonest and they “screwed up”.

“Our company was dishonest, with the EPA and with the California Air Resources Board, and with all of you. And in my German words, we have totally screwed up. We must fix those cars…and we have to make things right with the government, the public, our customers, our employees and our dealers. This kind of behaviour is completely inconsistent with our core values,” Horn said on the sidelines of a recent event in New York to launch the facelifted 2016 US-spec Passat.

The issue will now be investigated by congressional investigators from the US Congress’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

NISHANT PAREKH