Known for its popular slogan "Das Auto," Volkswagen has been a German vehicle manufacturer for over 70 years and is the second-largest automaker company in the world, next to Toyota.
Volkswagen's latest media attention, however, is not about its vehicles. The trusted automaker was recently involved in an emissions scandal.
Dr. Arvind Thiruvengadam is a Chennai-born assistant professor at the West Virginia Centre for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions (CAFEE). His career and his love for cars have the professor often test-driving new vehicles and going for long car trips. When Dr. Thiruvengadam and his colleague, Marc Besch, decided to take a trip back in March 2013, he had no idea that his journey would be a "historical landmark in the automotive industry."
When the 32-year-old Indian engineer rented a Volkswagen Passat to test the vehicle during his 2,400-mile round trip between Los Angeles and Seattle, the emission levels were nothing less than startling. The NOx (mono-nitrogen oxide) levels of the Volkswagen were five to twenty times higher than the usual emission standards in Europe.
After the researchers tested the emissions of three different European-make vehicles in real-world driving conditions, they found the same emissions levels with the Volkswagen Jetta, which showed 15 to 35 times higher than EPA standards. The third vehicle, a BMW X5, tested fine.
The pair's test results seemed to contradict the perfect and within-EPA-standards emissions levels that showed during Volkswagen's lab tests. Further investigations into the emissions levels variance found that Volkswagen was evidently cheating.
Photo Credit: Car And Driver
Equipped with this newly discovered information, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opened an investigation into Volkswagen in May 2014. Their investigation attempted to replicate the West Virginia University results.
The Downfall of Volkswagen
Martin Winterkorn, CEO of the much-trusted automaker, announced his resignation on September 23, 2015. VW recalled 500,000 diesel-fuelled vehicles from the United States in December 2014 and a total of a million worldwide. Volkswagen faced potential bans of its diesel models. It may have to pay an $18 billion fine. The company's stock tumbled by almost 26 billion euros in market value in just five days.
Volkswagen finally admitted that it was at fault and stated that it knowingly installed a "sophisticated software algorithm" that permitted the diesel vehicles to reduce the amount of NOx emissions while being tested.
The future for diesel-fuelled vehicles and for Volkswagen as a company is definitely uncertain. The entire perception surrounding emission regulations around the world has changed.
In an email interview with the Hindustan Times, Dr. Thiruvengadam stated, "Marc and I have done many real-world driving studies, and those are always exciting, because we get to visit a lot of places, but we least expected that the results would lead to the events that we are reading about in the newspaper today."
Main Image Photo Credit: ENCA
Nicole Singh
Author
Nicole is a bilingual professional with a journalism background who adores everything to do with fashion, culture, and Bollywood. She always had a passion for writing since a young age and decided to follow that dream. She has a sense of working in the field through news publications writt...
COMMENTS
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
-
Make Your Brunch Brilliant With This French Buckwheat Crepes & Dosas Recipe!
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Sis-In-Law That Her Messy Dog Is Not Welcome At My House?
-
Event Alert: The Women Empowerment Awards Honours Change-Making Women In Exclusive Gala
-
You Just Need A Hot Pot To Make This Amazing Masala Style Vegan Tomato Soup
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Friend To Stop Interrupting Me?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Trust My Husband After He Cheated On Me?
-
Check Out This Insane Recipe For Mini Masala Idli
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Brother That His Cottage Rules Ruins All The Fun?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: What Do I Do When My Fiancé Shares His Dog With His Ex?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Convince My Partner That Our Six-Year-Old Is To Young For Sleepovers?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Deal With My Friend Who Always Wants To Start A Fight?
-
Here's Why Paris Calls Tharshan Selvarajah The Best Baguette Baker In The City
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Our Cultural Differences May Threaten Our Marriage
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Help! My Bestie Roommate Is A Nightmare
-
#ANOKHI20: From Head-To-Heels Here Is Raj Girn’s Complete Fashion & Beauty Breakdown
-
#ANOKHI20: The ANOKHI Emerald Brunch Highlighted The Importance Of Mental Health Awareness Within The South Asian Community
-
Is The South Asian Bromance A Form Of Micro-Cheating?
-
Pride 2023: Why Is India's Supreme Court Taking So Long To Legalize Same Sex Marriage?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: My Love Constantly Wants To Be With Me And I'm Exhausted
-
The Coronation Of King Charles III Was A Global Desi Affair
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: My In-Laws Introduces Our Kids As Their "Adopted" Grandkids
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Help! My Office Romance Wants To Keep Us A Secret
-
The Dishes That Asha Bhosle Wants You To Try At Her Resto Asha's In Dubai
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: My Rude Friend Is Mortifying!
-
The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre Is Just What India Needs
-
Tour The World At Dubai's Amazing Global Village
-
The Hunt For Amritpal Singh: What Exactly Is Happening In Punjab?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: I Had A Miscarriage And Our Family's "Be Grateful" Sentiments Really Hurt
-
Indiaspopup.com Hosts A NYC Power Summit Honouring 5 South Asian Women For IWD 2023
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Help! My Underage Nephew Expects Me To Buy Booze For Him
-
Warm Up To The Fusion Delights Of Ushna in Dubai
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: My Boyfriend Is Pressuring Me To Attend His Sister's Wedding But I Can't Afford It
-
IWD 2023: 11 Inspirational Quotes From Powerful South Asian Women
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Help! My In-Laws Are Giving Me The Cold Shoulder
-
7 South Asian Female Fitness Pros Who Will Level Up Your Workouts
-
Why Seattle’s Anti-Caste Law Is An Historic Power Move For Human Rights
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: My Brother Doesn't Think My Aging Mom Should Stop Driving But I Do!
-
Zabardast Serves Up Delish Desi Delights
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Help! I Need To Move Out Of My Parents' House
-
We Tell You Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Invest
-
5 Ways To Build A Great Relationship With Yourself This Valentine's Day
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Help! I Can't Stop Shopping!
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: I Can't Say No To People Without Feeling Guilty
-
Let’s Talk … About Your Relationship with You!
-
This Is Why Amsterdam In The Winter Is Simply Wonderful
-
Dear Dr. Monica Vermani Being Back In The Office Is Giving Me Anxiety
-
Indian Afternoon Tea At Bobby's In Leicester UK? Yes Please!
-
Dear Dr. Monica Vermani: Help! My Ex Tells His Friends His Cheating Is My Fault
-
Travel The World With Tamarind Modern Indian Bistro's Global Cuisine
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: Winter Depresses Me, What Do I Do?
-
Ask Dr. Monica Vermani: How Do I Tell My Parents I Don't Want To Go To Business School?
-
Fabulous Holiday Gifts For Kids
