Volkswagen Cars in Europe Affected by Tainted Software

Citing the need for a “fresh start”, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned Wednesday after revelations the automaker had fitted its diesel cars with software created to cheat on emissions tests.

This was when U.S. regulators said it admitted to fitting the emission test-cheating software to hundreds of thousands of diesel cars.

Porsche CEO Matthias Müller is expected to take over Volkswagen as the company tries to recover from scandal after revelations it has been circumventing US air pollution rules for years, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Mueller will now be taking responsibility over Volkswagen as it faces its toughest challenge over its 78-year history, a challenge that only worsened as officials in both the United States and Europe stepped up their efforts in their investigations of the case.

Under his watch, Volkswagen will “develop and implement the most stringent compliance and governance standards in our industry“. That way, Volkswagen could allegedly offer cars with better performance while ignoring federally mandated emissions regulations in the US.

“He knows the Group and its brands well and can immediately engage in his new task with full energy”. While there is a few concern that tests may have overstated the emissions of BMW’s engines, the simple truth is what’s bad for the goose is good for the gander – in this case every other automobile company in the world.

In a press conference, he said he is “grateful” to Volkswagen’s board for the confidence it has shown in him, and claimed he will do everything he can do to regain the public’s trust in the brand.

At least 11 million Volkswagen cars were equipped with software that helped “clean diesel” vehicles pass emissions tests while continuing to dump nitrogen oxide pollutants into the atmosphere.

Huber said the board would task a U.S. law firm with helping investigate the scandal.

The wider vehicle market has been rocked, with manufacturers fearing a drop in sales of diesel cars and tighter regulations, while customers and motor dealers are furious that Volkswagen has yet to say whether it will have to recall any cars.

Volkswagen said in a statement on its website it was working to answer these questions.