Automaker Volkswagen has announced it is giving away $1,000 in gift cards and vouchers to owners of 482,000 diesel auto vehicles which were fitted with software created to cheat government emission tests.
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Up to 11 million vehicles worldwide have the software that helped cheat on the US emissions tests. As well, they will have access to three years of roadside support at no extra charge.
Under the programme, approved by VW’s top management, workers who get in touch with internal investigators no later than November 30 will be exempt from dismissals, according to a letter from VW brand chief Herbert Diess to staff seen by Reuters. The affected cars are all from the 2009 model-year onwards. Added Kelley’s Chintan Talati: “There is a few seasonality at play, too”. “As we work tirelessly to develop a remedy, we ask for your continued patience”, Volkswagen said.
The offer provides owners two gift cards: one is a prepaid Visa card worth $500 that can be used anywhere, the other is a $500 gift card that can be used at “any participating Volkswagen dealership” (which implies that a few dealerships have snubbed the program).
“The entire reason I bought my Jetta TDI sportwagen was a sham”, she said.
So far, however, buy-backs don’t appear up for discussion. “It is more of a short-term measure because they’re talking about a recall campaign lasting throughout 2016”. Volkswagen also faces criminal investigations in the USA and Europe.
Volkswagen vehicle owners interested in the offer must visit VWDieselInfo.com and enter their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), name, address and mileage, after which they will receive their “goodwill package” in four weeks, reported USA Today. Coffin also asks Barry to confirm that Volkswagen will not consider the gift cards to be any sort of credit against damages suffered by Volkswagen owners. More than 200 class-action lawsuits have been filed in the US against VW alleging that the scandal caused the diesel cars to drop in value.
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The letter is the first step in a long process that could eventually bring millions of euros (dollars) in fines for VW, which is already embroiled in a huge pollution scandal over diesel emissions.
