U.S Environmental Protection Agency Accuses Volkswagen And Audi For Allegedly Using Illegal Emissions To Cheat On Emission Tests

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday accuses Volkswagen and Audi for reportedly using a software to allegedly cheat on the US emission tests. The Guardian forecasts on the same day that the software "dramatically reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions."

"A sophisticated software algorithm on certain Volkswagen vehicles detects when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, and turns full emissions controls on only during the test," EPA explains in a dispatch. "The effectiveness of these vehicles' pollution emissions control devices is greatly reduced during all normal driving situations."

"This results in cars that meet emissions standards in the laboratory or testing station, but during normal operation, emit nitrogen oxides, or NOx, at up to 40 times the standard. The software produced by Volkswagen is a "defeat device," as defined by the Clean Air Act."

Allegedly, cars equipped with the illegal emissions control software "run in clean mode." On the other hand, when the software is disconnected, the cars allegedly generate up to 40 times more pollution.

"Put simply, these cars contained software that turns off emissions controls when driving normally and turns them on when the car is undergoing an emissions test," says EPA enforcement officer Cynthia Giles. "We intend to hold Volkswagen responsible.

She goes on, "VW was concealing the facts from the EPA, the state of California and from consumers. We expected better from VW. Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health."

Around 482,000 Volkswagen and Audi diesel cars were allegedly equipped with the illegal emissions control software in the US since 2008, according to EPA. The agency also says that VW should remove the software in those cars and "improve the cars' NOx emissions."

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that the company has issued an apology to its customers regarding the allegations of EPA.

"I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public," VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn said in a statement released on the same day. "Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter."

He adds, "We do not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the law."