Volkswagen will fix all cars affected by the Dieselgate emissions scandal by Autumn 2017, and it has pledged to do so to the European Commission.
According to Reuters, Volkswagen made the vow to the European Commission in a meeting held between VW board member, Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz, and EU consumer commissioner Vera Jourova and agreed upon the plans, as well as the timescale.
VW’s recall programme has been subject to delays, which suggested that it would spill into 2017; this has now been confirmed with the latest update to the fix schedule.
To catch up with the Dieselgate saga one year on, click here
The pledge comes just days after EU commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska announced her intention for the EU to penalise member states for not policing emissions policy close enough, as well as pressuring VW to compensate affected European customers as it is doing with American ones.
At the meeting, however, no agreement on compensation was discussed, so it’s believed that Volkswagen is holding its stance on refusing compensation to European customers, even though an extensive compensation package has been put in place for American customers.
This has drawn criticism from many, including the UK’s transport select committee, which criticised VW for not offering the compensation, as well as the UK government for not having taken decisive legal action against VW.
Audi has been dragged further into the Dieselgate affair - read more
More than one year on from the scandal, the debate continues to spark debate from all angles, while accountability is still under discussion, as Audi has recently been implicated further in the ongoing affair.
We are waiting for an official announcement of the agreement from Volkswagen.
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