Audi Asked By German Transport Ministry To Recall 24,000 A7s & A8s Because Of Newly Discovered Emissions Fraud

We’ve published a number of articles about the German auto manufacturer Audi in recent days … here’s a blockbuster to add to those: the German Transport Ministry has now asked Audi to recall around 24,000 A7 and A8 vehicles because of alleged emissions fraud.

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Apparently, whenever the affected Euro-5 emission standards models (2009–2013) have their steering wheels turned more than 15 degrees, they emit around twice the legal limit of nitrogen oxides. Curious. But I guess that that isn’t intentional — just a “problem in the interaction between (the) transmission and engine control unit,” like Audi claims.

Notably, this is the first time that Audi has been directly accused by authorities in Germany of emissions fraud. The requested recall affects around 24,000 A7 and A8 models — around half of which were reportedly sold directly in Germany.

Reading news like this, I really have to wonder: Do people when put in a position of power just not give a damn about the broader societal effects of their decisions? The execs of Audi themselves mostly live in Germany, so even furthermore, why would they be alright with turning the region’s air into a disease/death trap?

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Reuters provides more: “VW (Audi) Chief Executive Matthias Mueller was summoned to the Berlin-based ministry on Thursday, a ministry spokesman said, without elaborating. VW didn’t return calls seeking comment.”

“It is also the first time that Audi’s top-of-the-line A8 saloon has been implicated in emissions cheating. VW has said to date that the emissions-control software found in its rigged EA 189 diesel engine does not violate European law. … Ingolstadt-based Audi issued a recall for the 24,000 affected models late on Thursday, some 14,000 of which are registered in Germany, and said software updates will start in July. It will continue to cooperate with Germany’s KBA motor vehicle authority, Audi said.”

The German Transport Ministry has apparently issued a June 12 deadline for the company to develop and present a comprehensive plan to refit the affected cars.