Volkswagen India recalling diesel cars as the callback program includes 3.24 lakh vehicles from VW Group
Volkswagen AG is finally embarking on a course correction in India by recalling nearly 3.24 lakh vehicles with diesel engines affected by emission cheating scam. The recall program is scheduled to start from September, and it includes 1.9 lakh Volkswagen cars, 88,700 Skoda cars and 36,500 Audi cars. All these cars come fitted with the infamous TDI diesel engines and also the emission cheating device as well.
The recall program in India was scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2016, but due to the delay of approval from Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the recall process also got delayed for nearly six months. In US the German auto manufacturer has agreed to repair the affected diesel cars by removing the emission cheating devices and also paying compensation to the affected owners.
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The company has already set aside a hefty amount to compensate the affected owners in the US. It is not clear whether the automaker will take similar measurement in India as well. Though the affected cars in the country will be repaired and the emission cheating devices will be removed, but it is not clear yet; whether the owners will receive compensation or not.
The Dieselgate scam first came under the scanner in US in last year. A large number of vehicles from the VW group comprising Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Porsche vehicles were found fitted with emission cheating devices to the TDI diesel engines, which are capable to hide the actual emission data during lab tests. In reality, these vehicles were found to be emitting nearly 40% higher pollutants than permitted level.
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After the scam came under light Dieselgate became one of the most infamous automotive scam in the world history. Apart from US, several other countries started investigation against the German automaker group and it was found that the group was selling the same emission cheating device fitted TDI diesel engine powered cars in several markets.