Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'Volkswagen Diesel Scandal'.
Found 8 results
-
Mazda's diesel engine for the U.S. is slowly becoming an urban legend in the automotive world. Originally planned to launch in 2013, numerous delays have caused people to wonder if this engine would ever come out. Now with the Volkswagen diesel scandal hanging over and causing a number of automakers to reconsider diesel vehicles for the U.S., Mazda says its still committed. Speaking with Automotive News, Mazda's senior vice president for U.S. operations Robert Davis said diesel is still on the table. Diesel would not only boost the impressive fuel-economy numbers that Mazda's current lineup gets, it would also differentiate them from other Japanese rivals and align it more with European brands. Davis said the company is considering a diesel option for two of its vehicle, but wouldn't say which - our money is on the Mazda6 and CX-5 - or when they might come out. "I don't speak timing because I made three commitments and missed all three, so I keep my mouth shut. We're still committed to it," said Davis. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
Mazda's diesel engine for the U.S. is slowly becoming an urban legend in the automotive world. Originally planned to launch in 2013, numerous delays have caused people to wonder if this engine would ever come out. Now with the Volkswagen diesel scandal hanging over and causing a number of automakers to reconsider diesel vehicles for the U.S., Mazda says its still committed. Speaking with Automotive News, Mazda's senior vice president for U.S. operations Robert Davis said diesel is still on the table. Diesel would not only boost the impressive fuel-economy numbers that Mazda's current lineup gets, it would also differentiate them from other Japanese rivals and align it more with European brands. Davis said the company is considering a diesel option for two of its vehicle, but wouldn't say which - our money is on the Mazda6 and CX-5 - or when they might come out. "I don't speak timing because I made three commitments and missed all three, so I keep my mouth shut. We're still committed to it," said Davis. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
-
Just when you think the hole Volkswagen has found itself in can't get any deeper, it has. Earlier this week, The Associated Press reported that Volkswagen disclosed to the EPA that 2016 model year TDI models have a different piece of software that would allow them to pass the emissions test. This software makes a pollution-control catalyst heat up faster to improve the performance of a device which cleans up the nitrogen oxide into harmless hydrogen and oxygen. Now fitting a device like this isn't illegal unless you don't disclose it during the emission certification process. Janet McCabe, acting assistant EPA administrator for air quality wouldn't say if Volkswagen's failure to disclose this device is illegal. "I don't want to speak to any potential subjects of an enforcement activity," said McCabe. This puts Volkswagen in a more precarious situation. If the EPA rules that this software was implemented as cheating device, it would the fine that much larger and call into question the claims made by Volkswagen executives that it was small group who did this. Despite this and other issues Volkswagen finds itself in, CEO Matthias Mueller said in a speech yesterday, that he sees the company bouncing back in a couple of years. "We have a good chance of shining again in two to three years," Muller said. "We will significantly streamline structures, processes and (decision-making) bodies. We must become leaner and take decisions more rapidly," he went on to say. Muller's speech comes on the heels of news that Volkswagen has ordered a mandatory recall affecting 8.5 million TDI vehicles in the European Union that will begin early next year. Source: Associated Press, Reuters View full article -
Just when you think the hole Volkswagen has found itself in can't get any deeper, it has. Earlier this week, The Associated Press reported that Volkswagen disclosed to the EPA that 2016 model year TDI models have a different piece of software that would allow them to pass the emissions test. This software makes a pollution-control catalyst heat up faster to improve the performance of a device which cleans up the nitrogen oxide into harmless hydrogen and oxygen. Now fitting a device like this isn't illegal unless you don't disclose it during the emission certification process. Janet McCabe, acting assistant EPA administrator for air quality wouldn't say if Volkswagen's failure to disclose this device is illegal. "I don't want to speak to any potential subjects of an enforcement activity," said McCabe. This puts Volkswagen in a more precarious situation. If the EPA rules that this software was implemented as cheating device, it would the fine that much larger and call into question the claims made by Volkswagen executives that it was small group who did this. Despite this and other issues Volkswagen finds itself in, CEO Matthias Mueller said in a speech yesterday, that he sees the company bouncing back in a couple of years. "We have a good chance of shining again in two to three years," Muller said. "We will significantly streamline structures, processes and (decision-making) bodies. We must become leaner and take decisions more rapidly," he went on to say. Muller's speech comes on the heels of news that Volkswagen has ordered a mandatory recall affecting 8.5 million TDI vehicles in the European Union that will begin early next year. Source: Associated Press, Reuters -
A lot has been happening in the past couple of days for Volkswagen over the diesel emission scandal. Let's get you up to date. First, Volkswagen of American has pulled its application for EPA certification on 2016 models equipped with the 2.0L diesel four-cylinder until they comply with emission standards for the U.S. Volkswagen hasn't said when they will resend their application for certification. Next is the Associated Press reporting that German prosecutors carried out searches at a number of Volkswagen facilities, including the company's headquarters in Wolfsburg today. In a statement, the purpose of the searches was to "secure documents and data storage devices" to possibly identify the people involved and figure out how it was done. "We will support prosecutors as best we can in investigating the matter and the people responsible. This serves a prompt and thorough clearing-up, in which Volkswagen has great interest," Volkswagen said in a statement. Finally, the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee held their hearing on the Volkswagen diesel scandal today. Volkswagen of America CEO Michael Horn found himself in the line of fire. Here is a brief overview of what took place, Horn said 325,000 of the overall 482,000 vehicles involved in the scandal are fitted with the Gen 1 2.0L diesel engine (including the 2011 Passat TDI which came equipped with a Urea tank) will require hardware and software fix. The fix could take five to ten hours to complete. Other models fitted with newer versions of the 2.0L will only need a software update. Repairs are expected to start sometime next year [*]Horn testified that it was a few individuals and not the company who decided to implement the software into their diesel vehicles "Either your entire organization is incompetent when it comes to trying to come up with intellectual property, and I don't believe that for a second, or they are complicit at the highest levels in a massive cover-up that continues today," said Rep. Chris Collins, R-NY in response to Horn's answer. [*]Horn admits that's it hard to believe that Volkswagen's executives didn't know about this software for many years. [*]Volkswagen found about the study done by West Virginia University showing irregularities in two of their diesel models. Horn said Volkswagen engineers confirmed the results of the study and that software change was being worked on. [*]Horn said that he first learned about the software days before Volkswagen came clean to the EPA and California Air Resources Board Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Associated Press, The Detroit News, Reuters -
A lot has been happening in the past couple of days for Volkswagen over the diesel emission scandal. Let's get you up to date. First, Volkswagen of American has pulled its application for EPA certification on 2016 models equipped with the 2.0L diesel four-cylinder until they comply with emission standards for the U.S. Volkswagen hasn't said when they will resend their application for certification. Next is the Associated Press reporting that German prosecutors carried out searches at a number of Volkswagen facilities, including the company's headquarters in Wolfsburg today. In a statement, the purpose of the searches was to "secure documents and data storage devices" to possibly identify the people involved and figure out how it was done. "We will support prosecutors as best we can in investigating the matter and the people responsible. This serves a prompt and thorough clearing-up, in which Volkswagen has great interest," Volkswagen said in a statement. Finally, the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee held their hearing on the Volkswagen diesel scandal today. Volkswagen of America CEO Michael Horn found himself in the line of fire. Here is a brief overview of what took place, Horn said 325,000 of the overall 482,000 vehicles involved in the scandal are fitted with the Gen 1 2.0L diesel engine (including the 2011 Passat TDI which came equipped with a Urea tank) will require hardware and software fix. The fix could take five to ten hours to complete. Other models fitted with newer versions of the 2.0L will only need a software update. Repairs are expected to start sometime next year [*]Horn testified that it was a few individuals and not the company who decided to implement the software into their diesel vehicles "Either your entire organization is incompetent when it comes to trying to come up with intellectual property, and I don't believe that for a second, or they are complicit at the highest levels in a massive cover-up that continues today," said Rep. Chris Collins, R-NY in response to Horn's answer. [*]Horn admits that's it hard to believe that Volkswagen's executives didn't know about this software for many years. [*]Volkswagen found about the study done by West Virginia University showing irregularities in two of their diesel models. Horn said Volkswagen engineers confirmed the results of the study and that software change was being worked on. [*]Horn said that he first learned about the software days before Volkswagen came clean to the EPA and California Air Resources Board Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Associated Press, The Detroit News, Reuters View full article
-
The Environmental Protection Agency is becoming stricter as to how they test for emissions in light of the Volkswagen Diesel scandal. On Friday, the agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality announced they would be conducting more spot checks of light-duty cars and trucks to make sure that automakers haven’t been cheating on tests. Automakers were notified of the changes via a letter. The EPA wouldn't go into detail about the changes. “They don’t need to know. They need to know that we will be keeping their cars a little bit longer,” said Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality. In the letter, the EPA states may test a vehicle “using driving cycles and conditions that may reasonably be expected to be encountered in normal operation and use.” Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), The Detroit News View full article
-
The Environmental Protection Agency is becoming stricter as to how they test for emissions in light of the Volkswagen Diesel scandal. On Friday, the agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality announced they would be conducting more spot checks of light-duty cars and trucks to make sure that automakers haven’t been cheating on tests. Automakers were notified of the changes via a letter. The EPA wouldn't go into detail about the changes. “They don’t need to know. They need to know that we will be keeping their cars a little bit longer,” said Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality. In the letter, the EPA states may test a vehicle “using driving cycles and conditions that may reasonably be expected to be encountered in normal operation and use.” Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), The Detroit News
