Volkswagen Faces 34 Federal Lawsuits in Emission Scandal, CEO Resigns

Last week it came to light that Volkswagen has admitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it used software in 482,000 of its diesel cars sold in the U.S.to trick emissions tests.

“We are going to clarify the background unsparingly, and everything is being put on the table as quickly, thoroughly and transparently as possible”, the Guardian quoted Winterkorn as saying. The Italian Transport Ministry said it had sent a letter to Volkswagen and the main emissions tester in Germany to ask “if the anomalies found could also have been conducted on vehicles sold and tested in the European Union”. Carder and his team published their research after they finished it, and were even questioned about it by VW, so he says he’s a bit surprised that there’s so much interest in the story now. The engines could automatically detect when they are being tested and change to a cleaner mode to elude emission testing.

It is not clear whether cars that had this software would have led them to cheat on emissions tests outside the U.S.as well.

The German automaker’s Supervisory Board is meeting following former CEO Martin Winterkorn’s decision to resign earlier this week in the wake of the scandal, whose effects continue to reverberate around the world.

He said he was “convinced” that the company would “overcome this grave crisis”.

The EPA has said Volkswagen could face up to an $18 billion fine for its pollution violations.

VW did not return a call for comment on Thursday, but in announcing Winterkorn’s resignation, the executive committee of the company’s board said it expected “further personnel consequences”.

German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Thursday that emissions manipulations by Volkswagen took place in Europe, not just in the United States.

Volkswagen will name Matthias Mueller, the head of its Porsche sports auto brand, as its chief executive as it tries to recover from a scandal over its rigging of USA vehicle emissions tests, a source close to the matter said. At least 34 lawsuits have already been filed in the U.S.by people claiming their cars are now less valuable because of the scandal.