Volkswagen Will Issue Software Fixes For Cars In Emissions Scandal

Last Friday, the EPA said its scrutiny had spread to at least 75,000 additional vehicles, going back to the 2009 model year, after VW acknowledged that these vehicles had the same software as the initial batch.

German automotive regulator KBA has approved a software update for 2.0-liter diesel motors and has given its agreement in principal to a plan for 1.6-liter engines, Chief Executive Officer Matthias Mueller said Monday to about 1,000 company executives in Wolfsburg, Germany. Details are being finalized on a software fix for 1.2-liter motors.

USA regulators continue to tell owners of all the affected cars they are safe to drive, even as they emit nitrogen oxide, a contributor to smog and respiratory problems, in amounts that exceed EPA standards – up to nine times above accepted levels in the six-cylinder engines and up to 40 times in the four-cylinders.

Mueller said VW’s internal enquiry into the scandal was “very complex” and would take many months to complete, though he promised a report on its progress in mid-December. Cars with 1.6-liter engines will require a few new equipment in addition to the revised software. He did not comment on what effect the fixes may have on the vehicles’ acceleration and fuel economy. It was later reported that Volkswagen might have tried to hide the flaw from the public. We can still clearly remember how VW initially rejected the findings, while Porsche officials used words like “shocked” and “surprised”.

Well, it turns out that everything the EPA said was true as Volkswagen of America has released a statement today admitting that 85,000 cars or so equipped with the V6 diesel engine and built between the 2009 and 2016 model years indeed have defeat devices.

VW’s flagship luxury division said it failed to properly disclose the use of three AECDs, adding one which is created to adjust the working temperature of catalytic converters is viewed as a defeat device by US authorities.

“Investigations are running at full speed”, the CEO said.

Volkswagen is now in the process of developing the cornerstones of its 2025 strategy, which it plans to present in mid-2016, Mr. Mueller said. The goal is to shake up the company’s autocratic structure and re-focus on three topics: digitalization, sustainability and integrity.