Germany probes Porsche, Audi use of emissions-cheating software

The diesel emissions scandal which appears to have finally been wrapped up in the U.S. continues to trouble Volkswagen elsewhere. Still facing a threat and reality of continuing consumer and stockholder suits, Germany’s KBA, transport authority, is apparently probing reports of software on Porsche and Audi vehicles that allows the automaker to keep cheating on emissions tests. The automaker has vigorously denied the report.

Germany checking Porsche vehicles for cheatware

The automaker denied an item that appeared Friday in the Wirtschaftswoche, a German publication, that indicated the Volkswagen Group had continued the use of emissions-test-cheating software on Porsche models. The software reportedly in use seems to be either a derivative of software that caused the automaker no end of grief in the Dieselgate scandal or it may be the same programming. So far, the automaker, which has to settle with U.S. Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Each agency has launched charges against the automaker related to emissions cheating. And, the automaker has also settled major class action suits related to the software, as well. Ultimately, the so-called Dieselgate scandal will cost more than $25 billion in the U.S. alone.

And, despite the denial, the automaker continues to be troubled by software in Germany. According to Friday’s report, Germany’s KBA is checking to see whether the automaker is using steering wheel movements to determine whether the vehicle is under test or not. (Steering wheel movement was reportedly one of the telltales that turned software on and off in the U.S. This type of software indicates whether a vehicle is under test on a dynamo.)

In an emailed denial, Porsche told the magazine: “We can confirm for all Porsche models: We are not using steering movements for the sake of detecting a test bench driving cycle and reacting to it.”

KBA had no comment, deferring to the Transport Ministry – its parent – for comment. The ministry had no comment.Audi Still Using Cheatware in A7s and A8s

A day before the magazine report – Thursday – the Transport Ministry charged that the VW Group’s Audi division with using the test-cheating software on some of its A7 And A8 models. The ministry indicated that when there is a turn of greater than 15 degrees, nitrous oxide emissions change.

Automotive News, Reuters