Volkswagen’s emissions cheating scandal widened Friday as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that clandestine software allowing six-cylinder Volkswagen diesel engines to cheat on pollution tests is on more models than originally thought.
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The EPA and California Air Resources Board on Nov 2 accused VW of evading emissions in at least 10,000 Audi, Porsche and VW SUVs and cars with 3-litre V-6 diesel engines.
The confession marks the conclusion of a slow, 180-degree pivot by Volkswagen. Audi remained silent. Only Porsche seemed contrite, issuing a brief statement that said: “We are surprised to learn this information”. Europe is chiefly affected by the cheating software with a recall planned for as many as 8.5 million vehicles.
This engine was developed by Audi and is used in U.S. Audi models A6, A7, A8, Q5, and Q7 from model year 2009 onwards.
Volkswagen admitted in September a number of its diesel-fueled vehicles are equipped with the software that emits lower volumes of nitrogen oxides during emissions testing than during regular driving. Audi also claimed the new software is legal in Europe.
The 1.2-litre diesel probably only needs a software update, with the plan to be presented to the KBA by the end of the month, Mueller said.
We learned from Car Recalls UK that the reason why Volkswagen is only compensating those affected drivers in the U.S. is because this is seen as a new and important market to the USA, along with the fact that the Secretary of State can impose an unlimited fine on the carmaker.
The EPA alleged that the engine’s control software was able to detect an emissions test and enter a “temperature conditioning” mode that limited the output of NOx. VW used the engine in the Touareg and Porsche used it in the Cayenne since the 2013 model year.
The automaker now plans to submit new applications to the EPA and California’s Air Resources Board, as well as implement the fix itself via software in the affected cars.
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The changed software amends three defeat devices that control vehicle exhaust emissions systems Audi admits it did not previously disclose to the EPA.
