Jump to content

Volkswagen admite ter usado software hacks para contornar lei diesel nos EUA


EsCk
 Share

Recommended Posts

Mega escândalo em progresso, com carros que envolvem diretamente a marca Audi e Volskwagen (ainda não sei se é o Grupo VAG inteiro ou não).

Alegadamente, usaram software para aldrabar a emissão de gases em carros diesel e assim contornar leis e normas anti-poluição.

 

BERLIN/WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Volkswagen shares plunged by nearly 20 percent on Monday after the German carmaker admitted it had rigged emissions tests of diesel-powered vehicles in the United States, and U.S. authorities said they would widen their probe to other automakers.

German officials, alarmed at the potential damage the scandal could inflict on its car industry, urged Volkswagen to fully clear up the matter and said it would investigate whether emissions data had also been falsified in Europe.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Friday the world's biggest carmaker by sales used software for diesel VW and Audi branded cars that deceived regulators measuring toxic emissions and could face penalties of up to $18 billion.

The EPA and California officials said on Monday they would test the use of software in diesel vehicles from other manufacturers for similar possible violations. In addition to Volkswagen, automakers including General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sell diesel cars and SUVs in the United States.

"You will understand that we are worried that the justifiably excellent reputation of the German car industry and in particular that of Volkswagen suffers," German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said.

VW shares fell 18.6 percent to close at 132.20 euros, wiping some 14 billion euros ($15.6 billion) off its market cap. Shares in Porsche SE, a holding company which controls 51 percent of VW's common stock, also plunged around 20 percent, while the European autos index was down 4.1 percent.

Germany's transport minister was due to discuss the issue with Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn on Monday, two government sources said.

Winterkorn said on Sunday he was "deeply sorry" for the breach of U.S. rules and ordered an investigation. People including a VW supervisory board member said Winterkorn may have to resign.

"This disaster is beyond all expectations," said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, head of the Center of Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Analysts said it was unclear whether other automakers had also broken rules or what the ultimate cost could be for VW, which reported 2014 net income of 10.84 billion euros ($12.15 billion) according to Thomson Reuters data.

German rivals Daimler and BMW said the accusations made by U.S. authorities against VW did not apply to them.

Industry experts predicted the scandal would hit VW hard, just as it was hoping to move on from a damaging leadership battle, with a supervisory board meeting on Friday due to discuss a new company structure and management line-up.

Winterkorn, who saw off a challenge to his authority with the ousting of long-time chairman Ferdinand Piech, ran the VW brand between 2007 and 2015, including the six-year period when some of its models were found violating U.S. clean air rules.

 

 

"DEFEAT DEVICE"

Evidence of increased toxic emissions at VW first emerged in 2014, prompting the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to start investigating VW, a letter by CARB to VW dated Sept. 18 showed.

CARB told VW in July that its own testing of vehicles still showed excessive nitrogen oxide emissions, leading VW to admit on Sept. 3 that it had used a "defeat device" to temporarily lower emissions when it detected that it was being inspected.

Emissions would then return to a much higher level, allowing the car to perform better when driven.

Volkswagen denied it was trying to game the inspections, attributing the higher emissions readings to "various technical issues and unexpected in-use conditions," the EPA said in its formal notice of violations on Friday.

The stonewalling continued until the agency threatened to withhold certification for the carmaker's 2016 models, the EPA said. "Only then did VW admit it had designed and installed a defeat device."

Any decision on emissions control mechanisms would have been taken at the group's Wolfsburg headquarters and not by regional divisions, a source close to Volkswagen said.

Germany's Robert Bosch supplies diesel emissions control devices to VW, an industry source said. Asked whether Bosch had supplied the electronic module central to the EPA test findings, a company spokesman said: "We supply components for exhaust after-treatment to several manufacturers. The integration is the responsibility of the manufacturer."

The way carmakers test vehicles has been coming under growing scrutiny from regulators worldwide amid complaints from environmental groups that they use loopholes in the rules to exaggerate fuel-saving and emissions results.

In 2013, an Indian government-named panel accused GM of flouting testing regulations by fitting engines with low emissions in vehicles sent for inspection. And in 2014, Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp paid $350 million in penalties to the U.S. for overstating fuel economy ratings.

The European Commission said it was in contact with VW and U.S. regulators, but that it was too early to say whether any specific immediate surveillance measures were needed in Europe or whether VW vehicles in Europe were also affected.

VW overtook Japan's Toyota in the first half of this year to become the world's biggest carmaker by sales, but is facing a sharp slowdown in its most profitable market, China.

The U.S. scandal also adds to the challenge it faces in reviving its North American business, which has long lagged its performance elsewhere.

 

"HUGE LOSS OF TRUST"

Ingo Speich, a fund manager at Union Investment that owns about 0.4 percent of VW shares, said he was braced for the crisis to spread for the carmaker that makes vehicles from budget Seats and Skodas to luxury Bentleys and Lamborghinis.

"The market is anticipating more than just the U.S. issue. We have to admit that just looking at the facts there is a huge loss of trust in management," he said.

Exane BNP analysts said VW's problems could have wider implications for diesel vehicles, which have long struggled to gain a foothold in the U.S. market.

Bernd Osterloh, the head of VW's works council and a supervisory board member, called for those responsible to be held accountable. He said Winterkorn would resign should investigations prove he was personally responsible.

The carmaker's second-largest shareholder, the German state of Lower Saxony, said, however, that decisions would have to wait until the crisis had been "fully and thoroughly" examined.

As well as regulatory fines, analysts said VW could be hit by a drop in sales and lawsuits from shareholders and environmental groups.

The company has already told its U.S. dealers to stop selling the diesel models criticised by U.S. regulators, while Keller Rohrback LLP has filed a nationwide class action complaint against VW's U.S. division, saying it deliberately deceived consumers and regulators in its emissions testing.

Ratings agency Fitch said the deepening crisis could put pressure on the company's credit ratings. ($1 = 0.8924 euros) (Additional reporting by Gernot Heller and Markus Wacket in Berlin; Ilona Wissenbach in Stuttgart; Philip Blenkinsop and Barbara Lewis in Brussels; Writing by Christian Plumb; Editing by Mark Potter, Gareth Jones, Grant McCool)

 

VW shares suffer biggest one-day fall of nearly 20 percent

U.S. EPA says to widen probe to other carmakers

Germany also to investigate carmakers' emissions data

Daimler, BMW say not affected by U.S. emissions probe (Adds details of Volkswagen blaming excessive emissions measurements on 'technical issues,' updates stock price, details other automakers' violations on emissions)

 Fontes:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/21/usa-volkswagen-idINL5N11R0TU20150921

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34311819

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/20/vw-software-scandal-chief-apologises-for-breaking-public-trust

 

A marca vai levar um abanão muito grande com esta borrada...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Acho piada o facto do país em questão ser os EUA. Gostava de saber que lei é essa e como é que os Hummers e afins não a estão a violar. e porque é que os States têm leis mais rigorosas sobre emissão de gases que os europeus, ou porque é que  VW tem emissões diferentes na europa e nos states. Preciso de ler um artigo a explicar tudo.

Edited by cursed
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Germany's transport minister says Volkswagen has admitted using the same fake emissions test in Europe as it used to falsify results in the US.

Alexander Dobrindt said it was not known how many of the 11 million vehicles affected were in Europe.

He also said other manufacturers' vehicles would be checked.

The scandal began unfolding on Friday when the German car giant said it had used software in the US to provide false emission test results.

Mr Dobrindt said he had been told vehicles with 1.6 and 2.0 litre diesel engines are "affected by the manipulations that are being talked about".

The company's Jetta, Beetle, Golf and Audi A3 models in the US from 2009 to 2015, and the Passat from 2014-15, had the devices which produced doctored results.

He also said random tests would be conducted on cars made by manufacturers other than VW: "It is clear that the Federal Office for Motor Traffic will not exclusively concentrate on the VW models in question but that it will also carry out random tests on vehicles made by other carmakers."

VW is setting aside €6.5bn (£4.7bn) to cover the costs of the scandal.

The German car giant's chief executive Martin Winterkorn resigned following the revelation.

Mr Winterkorn said he was "shocked" by recent events and was "not aware of any wrongdoing on my part".

The supervisory board said it would announce Mr Winterkorn's successor at a board meeting on Friday.

There has been speculation in German newspapers that Matthias Mueller would be named as the next chief executive. He is head of Porsche, which is part of the Volkswagen group of companies.

German public prosecutors are considering an investigation, with US authorities also said to be planning criminal investigations.

Volkswagen shares have tumbled some 30% since the beginning of the week in response to the scandal, which has stunned investors.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34345210

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Já se sabe que as emissão reais são sempre superiores às anunciadas pelas marcas, isto tem muito que se lhe diga, ou é jogada contra a VW, contra a Alemanha, ou também já há quem diga que pode ser jogada contra o diesel em si.

Portugal: Imposto pode subir nos carros da Volkswagen por causa da fraude

11:09 Económico

Vice-presidente da ANECRA, explica que nível de emissões é componente determinante no cálculo do Imposto Único de Circulação e que este pode ter de ser ajustado.

 

Os portugueses proprietários de automóveis Volkswagen podem ter um aumento do Imposto Único de Circulação (IUC) porque as emissões, afinal, são mais elevadas, escreve hoje o "Correio da Manhã".

"Distorce toda a carga fiscal, seja em ISV ou IUC, porque a questão das emissões é uma das componentes que pesam no cálculo", admite ao CM Alexandre Ferreira, vice-presidente da ANECRA.

A Associação Nacional das Empresas do Comércio e e da Reparação Automóvel defende, contudo, que os condutores não podem ser penalizados. "Vamos bater-nos para que seja a marca a pagar", acrescenta o responsável.

As emissões de CO2, a cilindrada e a idade do carro são três factores para calcular o IUC. E certos modelos da VW, como o Jetta, Golf e Carocha, a par do Audi A3, têm um programa que manipula as emissões.

Em Portugal, o Grupo VW ocupa o segundo lugar dos carros de passageiros mais vendidos. Entre 2014 e Agosto deste ano foram vendidos 53 mil veículos do fabricante alemão.

Em articulação com a Comissão Europeia, que já anunciou uma investigação ao caso, todos os Estados-membros serão notificados para uma actuação comum sobre esta matéria.

Volkswagen could pose bigger threat to German economy than Greek crisis

BERLIN | BY MICHAEL NIENABER

 

The Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) emissions scandal has rocked Germany's business and political establishment and analysts warn the crisis at the car maker could develop into the biggest threat to Europe's largest economy.

Volkswagen is the biggest of Germany's car makers and one of the country's largest employers, with more than 270,000 jobs in its home country and even more working for suppliers.

Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn paid the price for the scandal over rigged emissions tests when he resigned on Wednesday and economists are now assessing its impact on a previously healthy economy.

"All of a sudden, Volkswagen has become a bigger downside risk for the German economy than the Greek debt crisis," ING chief economist Carsten Brzeski told Reuters.

"If Volkswagen's sales were to plunge in North America in the coming months, this would not only have an impact on the company, but on the German economy as a whole," he added.

Volkswagen sold nearly 600,000 cars in the United States last year, around 6 percent of its 9.5 million global sales.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the company could face penalties of up to $18 billion, more than its entire operating profit for last year.

Although such a fine would be more than covered by the 21 billion euros ($24 billion) the company now holds in cash, the scandal has raised fears of major job cuts.

The broader concern for the German government is that other car makers such as Daimler (DAIGn.DE) and BMW (BMWG.DE) could suffer fallout from the Volkswagen disaster. There is no indication of wrongdoing on the part of either company and some analysts said the wider impact would be limited.

The German government said on Wednesday that the auto industry would remain an "important pillar" for the economy despite the deepening crisis surrounding Volkswagen.

"It is a highly innovative and very successful industry for Germany, with lots of jobs," a spokeswoman for the economy ministry said.

But analysts warn that it is exactly this dependency on the automobile sector that could become a threat to an economy forecast to grow at 1.8 percent this year. Germany is already having to face up to the slowdown in the Chinese economy.

"Should automobile sales go down, this could also hit suppliers and with them the whole economy," industry expert Martin Gornig from the Berlin-based DIW think tank told Reuters.

In 2014, roughly 775,000 people worked in the German automobile sector. This is nearly two percent of the whole workforce.

In addition, automobiles and car parts are Germany's most successful export -- the sector sold goods worth more than 200 billion euros ($225 billion) to customers abroad in 2014, accounting for nearly a fifth of total German exports.

"That's why this scandal is not a trifle. The German economy has been hit at its core," said Michael Huether, head of Germany's IW economic institute.

"MADE IN GERMANY"

There are also voices, however, that say the impact on the economy as a whole should not be exaggerated.

"I don't think that the German automobile industry will be lumped altogether," Commerzbank chief economist Joerg Kraemer told Reuters.

"There won't be a recession just because of a single company," Kraemer added.

The German BGA trade association also tried to calm the public by saying there were no signs that customers abroad were starting to doubt quality and reliability of German companies.

"There isn't a general suspicion against goods labeled 'Made in Germany'," BGA managing director Andre Schwarz told Reuters.

But he acknowledges there is a degree of concern among German companies that the scandal over cheating on U.S. diesel emission could have a domino effect on their businesses, eroding the cherished 'Made in Germany' label.

Some observers also see some irony in the scandal.

While the German economy defied the euro zone debt crisis and, so far, the economic slowdown in China, it could now be facing the biggest downside risk in a long while from one of its companies.

"The irony of all of this is that the threat could now come from the inside, rather than from the outside," Brzeski said.

(Additional reporting by Klaus Lauer and Gernot Heller; Editing by Keith Weir and Philippa Fletcher)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/23/us-usa-volkswagen-germany-economy-idUSKCN0RN27S20150923

Edited by Vasco G
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Estes Americanos são tão hipócritas.

Ok, a VW, SEAT, BMW e possivelmente a AUDI adulteraram os resultados... mas porra... de certeza que poluem menos que os V8 e V6 a gasolina que existem nas Chevys e Dodges.

:facepalm:

Santa paciência!

Os modelos de VW, SEAT, BMW e AUDI que lá existem são os mesmos modelos com as mesmas cilindradas dos Europeus?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As notícias vão falando que afecta principalmente os motores 1.6 e 2.0 igualmente na Europa.

Quanto à BMW, até ver é uma situação bem distinta da VW. Creio que não foi descoberto nenhum software/função que reconheça que tipo de testes estão a ser realizados, como nos VW. Parece ser mais um pouco como optimizar o veículo para os melhores resultados (como fazem para homologar os consumos mais baixos), em vez de o adulterar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mas já se sabe que o conceito de venda em segunda mão do tuga é tirar meia dúzia de euros ao preço de loja.

Se houver algum negócio que valha mesmo a pena e que não seja algo do género "quero desfazer-me disto, mas mesmo assim quero um balúrdio" fico muito admirado.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Não percebo porquê esse facepalm

uma das componentes mais importantes em termos de cálculo do IUC são as emissões de CO2, se os valores forem atualizados para emissões 40 vezes às anunciadas, na minha opinião alguém vai ter de pagar a diferença, e repito são em alguns casos 40 vezes, e quase garanto quem vai pagar vão ser os proprietários, se depois decidem meter a VW em tribunal é outra história, mas após terminar a campanha alguém vai pagar de certeza

O próximo governo já esfrega as mãos com a receita extraordinária 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.