SYDNEY: Volkswagen Group Australia on Saturday suspended the sale of some diesel-powered cars in Australia until the emission issues are addressed in the vehicles.
VGA said it met with government authorities on Friday ‘to advise them of its strategy in Australia’ to address concerns raised around the world about the technology.
‘In its first step, effective immediately VGA has temporarily suspended the sale of affected vehicles fitted with 1.6 or 2.0-litre EA189 diesel engines,’ it said in a statement without naming models of the vehicles.
Volkswagen has admitted that up to 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide are fitted with devices that can switch on pollution controls when they detect the car is undergoing testing.
They then switch off the controls when the car is on the road, allowing it to spew out harmful levels of emissions.
The Australian development comes a week after Canberra said it would ensure that any vehicles with the so-called defeat devices could not be supplied in the country as it sought urgent clarification on how many vehicles here were involved in the growing scandal.
Emissions cheating devices breach Australian national safety standards and the country s consumer watchdog has warned Volkswagen could be fined up to Aus$1.1 million (US$780,000) for each pollution-cheating device installed and in use in the country.
