Dems pan Volkswagen emission scandal ‘goodwill’ offer

A pair of Democratic senators is criticizing German automaker Volkswagen for reportedly offering $1,000 to drivers who were affected by its violations of U.S. emission standards. 

Volkswagen is offering the payments as a goodwill gesture to owners of diesel models of its cars that were found to have software installed that violated the Clean Air Act by activating required air pollution protections only during emissions tests, according to a Reuters report. 

Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said the payments do not go far enough to make Volkswagen drivers who believed their cars were better environmental performance whole.  

{mosads}“This offer is an insultingly inadequate amount – a fig leaf attempting to hide the true depths of Volkswagen’s deception,” the senators said in a joint state. 

“Perhaps more egregiously, the company may ask owners to sign away their right to legal action and just compensation,” the lawmakers continued. 

Volkswagen has admitted to installing “defeat devices” on about 482,000 diesel vehicles since 2008. The company has recently been found to have installed the devices on cars marketed under its Audi and Porsche brands.  

The company programmed vehicles to trick emissions testers into believing its diesel cars released a much lower volume of nitrogen oxide than they actually do. In regular driving, the vehicles emitted up to 40 times more pollution.

The head of Volkswagen’s U.S. division offered a “sincere apology” to lawmakers in early October for his company’s efforts to circumvent federal air pollution rules.

“On behalf of our company and my colleagues in Germany, I would like to offer a sincere apology for Volkswagen’s use of a software program that served to defeat the regular emissions testing regime,” Volkswagen’s CEO for North America, Michael Horn, said during an Oct. 8 hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s oversight panel.  

“These events are deeply troubling,” he added. “I did not think that something like this was possible at the Volkswagen Group. We have broken the trust of our customers, dealerships and employees, as well as the public and regulators.” 

Blumenthal and Markey said Monday that Volkswagen should do a lot more than apologize and offer cash to drivers who were affected by its emissions violations. 

“Volkswagen should offer every owner a buy-back option,” the senators said. “The company should state clearly and unequivocally that every owner has the right to sue. It should offer every owner who wants to keep her car full compensation for the loss of resale value, fuel economy, and other damage caused by its purposeful deception. Volkswagen should cooperate fully with federal criminal and civil investigations that will provide redress for taxpayers as well car owners – the company needs to get serious.”