The VW group is battling to overcome a crisis that was sparked by its admission in September that it cheated on emissions tests for its diesel-powered vehicles around the world. The company said that criminal proceedings can’t be ruled out, depending on the findings, and that employees could be transferred or given other responsibilities. VW is also offering affected owners a new (or extended) three-year, 24-hour roadside-assistance deal.
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It’s hard not to detect a touch of schadenfreude in play: American regulators go after Volkswagen, Germany’s national brand, so, in turn, German regulators go after two prominent American vehicle builders.
VW has urged staff to provide information on the introduction of its emissions-cheating software – promising they will not be sacked.
On Monday Volkswagen’s USA arm offered owners of its diesel cars, tainted by an emissions scandal, a “goodwill package” of $1,000 worth of gift and fidelity cards on Monday. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that cars with 3.0 litre engines from the years 2014 to 2016 were affected, which is about 10,000 more cars.
Volkswagen says about 11-million vehicles worldwide have the deceptive software. “In the meantime, we are providing this Goodwill Package as a first step towards regaining our customers’ trust”.
“The entire reason I bought my Jetta TDI sportwagen was a sham”, she said.
Volkswagen (VW) is giving away $1,000 gift cards and vouchers to the owners of nearly half a million diesel cars in the United States. The company intends to refer investigators to cooperating employees. Every VW owner must accept that agreement to receive the Goodwill Package, and wording in that agreement contradicts public statements made by Volkswagen.
The latest notice covered the diesel versions of the 2014 VW Touareg, the 2015 Porsche Cayenne, and the 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5, and alleges nitrogen oxide emissions up to nine times EPA’s standard. Once the gift cards arrive, in approximately four weeks, they must be taken to a dealership to be activated.
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The scandal erupted on September 18 when USA authorities exposed VW’s use of “defeat devices” to cheat tests for NOx emissions.
