Volkswagen is fined a record $125million in Australia as global diesel scandal unravels
- The Federal Court of Australia has fined Volkswagen $125million over diesel lies
- Justice Lindsay Foster described the offending as ‘most series end of spectrum’
Volkswagen has been fined a record $125million in Australia for lying about the diesel emissions of its cars.
The Federal Court imposed the penalty more than four years after 11million cars were recalled worldwide over the scandal where software was installed to cheat laboratory tests.
Justice Lindsay Foster described their offending being at the ‘most serious end of the spectrum’ as he delivered his verdict on Friday morning.
Volkswagen has been fined a record $125million in Australia for lying about the diesel emissions of its cars (pictured is a Golf hatchback)
He slammed Volkswagen AG, the German car giant, for deceiving Australian authorities and motorists without showing any remorse.
‘It has shown no contrition,’ he said in his judgement.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which took action against Volkswagen, said the fine was designed to send a message to companies that lied.
‘Volkswagen’s conduct was blatant and deliberate,’ ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.
‘This penalty reflects a trend of ever higher penalties for breaches of Australian consumer law.’
In September 2015, 11 million cars worldwide were recalled after Volkswagen was caught illegally installing software in its diesel cars to cheat laboratory emissions tests and trick authorities into believing its vehicles were environmentally-friendly.
The scandal affected 100,000 cars on Australian roads.
The scandal was revealed after the Environmental Protection Authority in the United States found its cars emitted higher emissions on the road than in the laboratory.
The Federal Court imposed the penalty more than four years after 11million cars were recalled worldwide over the scandal where software was installed to cheat laboratory tests. Justice Lindsay Foster described their offending being at the ‘most serious end of the spectrum’ as he delivered his verdict on Friday morning
These tests were sparked by researchers at the West Virginia University who noticed a discrepenacy between Volkswagen’s claims about diesel emissions and the results in on-road testing.
The Australian Automobile Association and the Paris-based Federation Internationale de l’Automotive later carried out on-road tests on Volkswagens that had been recalled and repaired.
They found Volkswagens recalled in Australia, to remove the software program from its top-selling cars, were emitting levels of poisonous nitrogen oxides that were 4.11 times higher than the legal limit.
The tests, done outside a laboratory, also found affected VW diesel cars were using up to 14 per cent more fuel after the recall and still emitting noxious emissions that were 400 per cent higher than results documented in a laboratory, the Australian Automobile Association said last year.