[OFF-TRACK] Cheating (on) diesel

According to a report on New York Times, a recall notification was sent to Volkswagen Auto Group to review approximately 500.000 cars, produced from 2009 to 2015, as according with the U.S.A. Environmental Protection Agency, these diesel-powered cars have a software that literally “cheated on diesel”.

The explanation is that a “defeat device” was installed in the cars to detect when the model was going to pollutant emission tests, and the device just turned on to make the car achieve the recommended emission levels. After the test, the defeat device turned off, which revealed the real emissions of the car, reported to be 40 times the recommended level of pollutants, and this would not only cause problems to the environment and air, but also to people who breathe gases like ozone and nitrogen oxide, as well other potentially life-threatening substances.

There’s still na investigation in course, which involves the Jetta, Beetle, Golf, Passat and Audi A3 models, and based on a possible US$ 37.500 by any recall made, the VAG would suffer a hit in the order of US$ 18 million from the Justice Department.

At the moment, with the investigations underway, Volkswagen is prohibited to sell any of its 2016 models in the United States. These news comes as a heavy blow for them, as the TDI technology is one of the most used and known ways of using a diesel engine, as various brands and models from the Volkswagen Group, including VW, Audi, SEAT and others make use of it.

The TDI branding is also present in their motorsport activities, as Audi is the most known example of the technology, using diesel engines since 2006 until the current days, with eight wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans out of tem editions of the classic French race since the first use of TDI engines.

PHOTOS: Volkswagen USA, Audi Sport