The Obama administration on Friday directed Volkswagen to recall nearly a half million cars from the road, saying the German automaker used software intentionally designed to circumvent environmental standards for reducing smog.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued the company a notice of violation and accused the company of breaking the law by installing software known as a “defeat device” in 4-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from model years 2009-15. The device is programmed to detect when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, and to only turn on full emissions control systems during that testing. Those controls are turned off during normal driving situations, when the vehicles pollute far more heavily than reported by the manufacturer, the E.P.A. said.


“Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health,” said Cynthia Giles, the E.P.A.’s assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance. “Working closely with the California Air Resources Board, E.P.A. is committed to making sure that all automakers play by the same rules. E.P.A. will continue to investigate these very serious violations.”

The software was designed to conceal the cars’ emissions of the pollutant nitrogen oxide, which contributes to the creation of ozone and smog. The pollutants are linked to a range of health problems, including asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases.

The state of California has issued a separate notice of violation to the company. California, the E.P.A. and the Justice Department are working together on an investigation of the allegations.

The allegations cover roughly 482,000 diesel passenger cars sold in the United States since 2009.

Affected diesel models include the 2009-15 Volkswagen Jetta, 2009–15 Beetle, 2009–15 Golf, 2014-15 Passat and 2009-15 Audi A3.

The notice of violation is part of a broader, more aggressive enforcement effort by federal environmental regulators on the auto industry. Analysts said it was meant to send a clear message to automakers that they will be harshly treated for compromising federal rules.

It follows a November 2014 announcement of the administration’s largest-ever penalty for a violation of the Clean Air Act, in which the government fined the Korean automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors a combined $300 million as part of a settlement for overstating vehicle fuel-economy standards on 1.2 million cars.

“They want to make it clear that they’re going to crack down on cheaters,” said Frank O’Donnell, president of the environmental advocacy group Clean Air Watch. “They’re cheating not only car buyers but the breathing public. They want to lay down the law, enforce the law, and show they’re not going to tolerate cheaters. The laws and regulation are only as good as the enforcement.”

USA. Au terminat de luat bani de la Toyota, si acum au trecut la VW. La inceput este santajul. Si daca nu le reuseste, trec la acuze inventate.

When confronted with the EPA and Carb’s evidence, VW admitted that its cars were fitted with the “defeat device”.

offtopic
M-am uitat de curand cat e un golf 7 tedei ... echipare highline + DSG este cam 32.000 de euro. In state unu la fel se invarte pe la 28.000 USD. deci tot pe acolo. Mi se pare mie sau e cam mult sa dai atata pe un golf ?

Se pare ca 100.000 de euro nu mai reprezinta nimic in ziua de azi...aaaa 3 golfuri noi. deci nimic ! Aveti grija ... urmeaza dezastrul . Eu zic ca vanzarile or sa o ia urgent in jos. Sau poate ca VW nu-i facut pentru romani, ori nu mai e masina poporului. Ceva se intampla

Sa va povestesc de Passat Sportline la NUMAI  47000 ??? Atata e un apartament cu 2 camere sau o casa la tara.

Americanii nu au stiut sa joace cinstit niciodata. Nu stiu ce este aia concurenta. Urmariti istoria topului producatorilor auto si reactiile lor. S-au luat de toti care le amenintau locul si vanzarile.

... si reno sunt de fapt in majoritate obtinute prin manipularea testului de noxe.

In primul rand nu este dovedita treaba, sunt doar acuzatii americane.

Problema este alta, testul este gresit. Nu este nici o manipulare, ci pur si simplu la fel ca si testul de consum, favorizeaza valori mai mici si toti producatorii speculeaza asta.
Atat timp cat clientul este bucuros de briz-brizuri si laude (vezi topicurile cu Espace, Kadjar sau Megane 4), nu o sa prindem niciodata o 'trezire'.

Testele nu sunt gresite, sunt doar depasite, si asa cum spui toti producatorii speculeaza fereastra de oportunitate, in timp ce UE inchide ochii. De ce ?

De ce nu? Singurii care pierd sunt cetatenii.
De ce masinile tunate trec testele de noxe? Pentru ca testul este intr-o plaja in care nu conteaza.

In primul rand nu este dovedita treaba, sunt doar acuzatii americane.

The German carmaker admitted to fitting its U.S. diesel vehicles with software that turns on full pollution controls only when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday.

Nu e dovedida, dar CEO VW a admis ca au facut asta, mai e nevoie de vreo dovata?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/201...emissions-cheat

Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said on Sunday that the company is cooperating with the probe and ordered its own external investigation into the issue. The CEO said he was “deeply sorry” for breaking the public’s trust and that VW would do “everything necessary in order to reverse the damage this has caused.”

În plin scandal legat de înºelãciunea pe care ar fi fãcut-o cei de la Volkswagen în privinþa emisiilor de noxe în SUA, ar fi bine sã ne reamintim cã întreaga industrie auto se face vinovatã de marketing înºelãtor, cu complicitatea autoritãþilor.

Eu am asa o banuiala ca la absolut toti constructorii se practica metodele pentru care vor sa ii arda pe VW, numai ca deocamdata n-au fost prinsi

Chiar si Dacia practica. Dar asta nu este vina lor, pentru testul este tinut intentionat in metoda de masurare. Vina este in totalitate a autoritatilor.

Cauta un prieten din state si vezi cum fac aia testele de poluare si care sint cerintele pentru a lua echivalentu ITP, o sa ai o mare surpriza!
Ce nu inteleg eu este cum s`a facut testul ala , ca la noi masurind la relanti si apoi la turatie mare dar in gol?

Grig

Eu vorbesc din realitate nu din cãrți.....


nici boul din Franța nici cumnatu-meu a cui era mașinã din spania nici macar nu știau ce-i ala Itp...