Volkswagen emissions scandal: A timeline

Summary

Volkswagen, once the world's leading automaker, admitted to rigging 11 million vehicles globally to cheat on emissions tests, leading to a significant scandal. Scientists at West Virginia University discovered software that detected test conditions and altered engine performance to appear cleaner. Emissions were found to be up to 40 times the legal limit. The company faced lawsuits, CEO resignations, and a massive $18 billion set aside to address the crisis, including buybacks and fixes for affected US vehicles. The scandal resulted in the arrest of an executive for fraud and Clean Air Act violations.

Takeaways

• 🚗 Volkswagen, once the world's top automaker, fell to number two due to a major scandal involving emissions test cheating.
• 🔍 Scientists at West Virginia University discovered that Volkswagen used software to cheat on clean air tests, making emissions appear cleaner than they actually were.
• 🌟 The emissions were found to be up to 40 times higher than legal limits during normal driving conditions.
• 🇺🇸 The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Volkswagen manipulated its diesel cars to perform better on emissions tests.
• 🌐 Volkswagen admitted to rigging 11 million vehicles worldwide, not just in the US, indicating a global scale of the problem.
• 🛑 Amid the scandal, Volkswagen halted the sale of diesel cars in the US and CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned, later replaced by Matthias Müller.
• 💸 Volkswagen faced endless lawsuits from customers whose cars lost value due to the cheating software.
• 👮‍♂️ German police raided Volkswagen's headquarters, and later French and Italian offices, in search of incriminating documents as part of the investigation.
• 💼 Nine managers were suspended by Volkswagen for their suspected involvement in the scandal.
• 💵 Volkswagen agreed to pay up to $14.7 billion to settle the issue, a record amount for an automaker, which included compensation for vehicle owners and measures to buy back or fix the affected cars.
• 🚨 A Volkswagen executive was arrested by US federal prosecutors for allegedly conspiring to defraud customers and violate the Clean Air Act.

Q & A

What was the primary reason for Volkswagen's fall from being the world's top automaker?

Volkswagen fell from being the world's top automaker due to a scandal where they admitted to rigging 11 million vehicles worldwide to cheat on emissions tests.

Which group of scientists initially discovered Volkswagen's emissions test cheating?

A group of scientists at West Virginia University discovered that Volkswagen was using software in its diesel cars to cheat on clean air tests.

How did the software used by Volkswagen cheat on emissions tests?

The software detected when the car was being tested and made the engine run differently, making emissions seem cleaner than they ordinarily were.

What were the legal implications of the emissions levels found in Volkswagen's diesel cars?

The emissions were found to be up to 40 times higher than legal limits.

How did the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) respond to the discovery of Volkswagen's cheating?

The US EPA announced that Volkswagen was manipulating its diesel cars to score better on emissions tests.

What actions did Volkswagen take after admitting to the rigging of vehicles?

Volkswagen admitted to rigging half a million cars in the US and halted the sale of diesel cars. CEO Martin Winterkorn apologized and resigned.

Who replaced Martin Winterkorn as CEO after his resignation?

Matthias Müller, the head of VW's Porsche brand, replaced Martin Winterkorn as CEO.

What financial measures did Volkswagen set up to compensate affected vehicle owners?

Volkswagen set up a fund to compensate owners and tapped mediator Kenneth Feinberg to decide how much each owner should receive.

How much did Volkswagen agree to pay to settle the emissions scandal?

Volkswagen agreed to pay up to $14.7 billion to settle the issue, which is much more than any other automaker has paid for wrongdoing.

What was the role of the 'defeat device' in the emissions scandal?

The 'defeat device' was the software used by Volkswagen to cheat on emissions tests by detecting when the car was being tested and altering the engine's performance accordingly.

What legal actions were taken against Volkswagen executives in relation to the emissions scandal?

US prosecutors alleged that Volkswagen executives knew about the defeat device in July 2015 but chose to keep regulators in the dark. One executive was arrested for allegedly conspiring to defraud customers, impede regulators, and violate the Clean Air Act.