Volkswagen AG decided yesterday to please the U.S. customers and German union leaders who were not satisfied with the company’s response to the rigging emissions scandal by offering a credit worth $1,000 for owners of certain diesel models that do not comply with the standard government emissions.
According to Volkswagen’s subsidiary in the U.S., half of the money offered will be spent at VW and Audi dealerships. The German carmaker stated that the U.S. owners of around 500,000 VW and Audi models with 2.0 liter TDI diesel engines can apply for a $500 prepaid Visa card, a dealership card worth the same amount of money and three years of roadside assistance services free of charge.
This is the latest move from Volkswagen in an attempt to fix the previous plans announced by the automaker in order to repair the affected models. While considered to be a small step in the right direction, customers are not completely pleased with VW’s offer.
The CO2 emissions scandal broke out in September when the European carmaker admitted having rigged the U.S. tests for nitrogen oxide emissions, with former CEO resigning and then the situation worsening as the company announced it had understated the emissions and fuel consumption for the cars sold in Europe.
Volkswagen has stated it would continue discussing with the U.S. and California emissions regulators on the heated topic and that the car brand is taking into account reimbursing customers and taking back the affected cars.
In Washington, Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Edward Markey commented on VW’s consumer program and described it as inadequate, insufficient and trying to camouflage the real extent of the car brand’s deception. The senators added that VW “should offer every owner a buy-back option” and “should state clearly and unequivocally that every owner has the right to sue.”