Skip to main content

Volkswagen could face criminal charges in the U.S.

If Dieselgate were a three-act play, we’d be close to the end of the first act. It’s not a drama, however, and certainly not amusing to any of those involved, which in an environmental sense includes us all. It’s more like a tragedy. Volkswagen Group’s diesel engine software rigging scandal is still in the first year of resolution in a process likely to drag on for several years.

In the latest development, the United States Department of Justice has enough evidence to bring criminal charges against the automotive giant as well as individual VW employees, according to Ars Technica.

Recommended Videos

Citing a Wall Street Journal article about the DoJ’s and VW, Ars Technica reported that the decision to prosecute has not been made. The attorneys are “torn” between taking Volkswagen to court to get a guilty plea or negotiating an agreement. The prosecution agreement would drop criminal charges against the group on the condition that VW sign a separate agreement to abide by specific settlement terms.

Reuters reported that a DoJ prosecution agreement with Volkswagen could involve “an independent monitor overseeing the German automaker’s conduct and significant yet-to-be determined fines for emissions violations.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, prosecutors aren’t sure which criminal charges to file, if they do decide to go that way. Choices could include misleading both regulators and consumers.  The newspaper said it expects Volkswagen would get some leniency for the $15 billion civil settlement deal via which the German company will offer to buy back diesel vehicles with the emissions test cheating software. Additional fines could still be levied as a result of a criminal case or agreed to as part of a prosecution agreement. The expectation is that add-on fines could be greater than the $1.2 billion Toyota paid in 2014 for not disclosing acceleration problems.

Regardless of whether the DoJ takes Volkswagen Group to court, there’s still a chance it will levy criminal charges against VW employees. Civil lawsuits have been filed against two dozen VW group employees involved with the software scheme by attorneys general in Maryland, New York, and Massachusetts.

Volkswagen Group still doesn’t have a final agreement on 85,000 3.0L diesel vehicles apart from the nearly 500,000 2.0L affected by the $15 billion settlement deal. Perhaps that deal for the 3.0 liter VWs, Porsches, and Audis will arise in Act 2.

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Samsung’s most affordable 5G smartphone could be headed to the U.S.
The front and rear fascia of the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G

Samsung is reportedly planning to launch a new A-series smartphone that will replace the Galaxy A22 5G as its most affordable 5G offering. The new device is part of the company’s A-series lineup, and will be known as the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G, reports Sammobile.

According to the report, the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G has been in the works for a while, and its existence has been rumored for months. What adds credence to the rumors, however, are freshly leaked renders and specifications of the phone by tech publication GizNext. All the renders show the phone in a single black variant. The phone could be offered in more color options, though.  Samsung is also likely to sell an LTE-only variant of the phone in select markets, the Sammobile report adds.

Read more
Amazon-branded TVs could hit U.S. market in October
The Insignia F50 Amazon Fire TV Edition smart TV.

Amazon is preparing to launch its own TVs as early as October, a report has claimed.

Specs are scant, but sources with knowledge of the matter told Insider the Amazon-branded TVs will feature screen sizes of between 55 and 75 inches and be compatible with Alexa, its digital voice assistant. There’s no word on if they’ll incorporate Amazon’s Fire TV software, nor any information on how much they’ll cost.

Read more
Experimental ‘blowhole’ renewable energy could be on its way to the U.S.
Wave Swell 1

Wave Swell Progress Report January 2021

The use of wind and water as sources of renewable energy is well-documented. But an innovative project, taking place off the coast of a remote Tasmanian island, aims to showcase a new approach that combines the best of both worlds.

Read more