Cheating software on more VWs
WASHINGTON — Volkswagen’s emissions cheating scandal widened Friday after the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency said the German automaker used software to cheat on pollution tests on more six- cylinder diesel vehicles than originally thought.
Volkswagen told the EPA and the California Air Resources Board the software is on about 85,000 Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles with 3- liter engines going back to the 2009 model year. Earlier this month the regulators accused VW of installing the defeat device software on about 10,000 cars from the 2014 through 2016 model years, in violation of the Clean Air Act.
The regulators said they will investigate and take appropriate action on the software, which they claim allowed the six- cylinder diesels to emit fewer pollutants during tests than in realworld driving.
Also Friday, Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller said the company will cut its spending by $ 1.07 billion next year and “strictly prioritize” investments as it shores up its finances to deal with the emissions- rigging scandal.
The carmaker has decided to cancel or postpone investments that aren’t “absolutely necessary,” Mueller said.
“What we definitely won’t do is make cuts at the expense of our future,” said Mueller.
“We’re driving cautiously over the coming months, but we know where we want to go and we want to ensure that the Volkswagen company comes out of the current situation strengthened,” he said after a board meeting in Germany.
The latest allegation means that more Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche owners could face recalls of their cars to fix the software, and VW could face steeper fines and more intense scrutiny from U. S. regulators and lawmakers.
Audi spokesman Brad Stertz conceded that VW never told regulators about the software, in violation of U. S. law. He said the company agreed with the agencies to reprogram it “so that the regulators see it, understand it and approve it and feel comfortable with the way it’s performing.”
The software is on Audi Q7 and Volkswagen Touareg SUVs from the 2009 through 2016 model years, as well as the 2013- 16 Porsche Cayennes. Also covered are 2014- 16 models of the A6, A7, A8, and Q5, according to the EPA.
Stertz said the software is legal in Europe, and it’s not the same as a device that enabled four- cylinder VW diesel engines to deliberately cheat on emissions tests. VW has told dealers not to sell any of the models until the software is fixed.
U. S. 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.