On November 6, German media
first reported that certain automatic transmissions used in gasoline-
and diesel-powered Audi cars had software that could determine whether the car
was being tested by regulators and then switch to a more economical shift
program in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The Volkswagen Group has since confirmed that Audi does have
transmissions that distort emission levels when cars are being tested.
"Adaptive shift programs can lead to incorrect and
non-reproducible results" when the cars are tested, the VW Group confirmed
to Reuters via
email on Sunday.
In the email, the VW Group said it was in talks with and
providing technical details of the adaptive shift programs to regulators in
Germany as part of a government-led investigation in response to the media
reports.
Adaptive shift programs are designed to change transmission
shifting patterns either to boost fuel economy or performance. They often form
part of driving modes selectors.
However, Bild am Sonntag, which first reported about
the Audi transmissions, claimed the California Air Resources Board discovered
software that made the transmissions enter a low-performance mode designed to
deliver low CO2 emissions whenever the engine is started and only switch to
standard performance if the steering wheel is turned more than 15 degrees in
either direction, which wouldn’t be the case during laboratory testing.
Reuters, citing two people familiar with the matter,
reported that regulators in the United States were seeking more information to
determine whether the software constitutes a defeat device.
The software is different to the original “defeat device”
found in millions of diesels cars from the VW Group that was designed to detect
whether a car was being tested and then hide nitrogen oxide levels. The VW
Group only in October reached anagreed-upon
settlement for its 2.0-liter engines fitted with this defeat device.
However, the automaker is yet to reach an agreement for its 3.0-liter
engines with the device.
Stay tuned for an update.
source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1107239_vw-admits-audi-transmission-distorts-emissions-during-tests
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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