Volkswagen Group UK general manager Paul Willis said that the embattled car company would be taking different approaches for Europe and the United States in fixing the vehicles involved in the ongoing emissions test cheating scandal.
The revelation raises new questions on how Volkswagen is handling its current crisis, as well as highlights the differences in the regulations of the automobile industries between the trans-Atlantic regions.
Willis said that the repairs for diesel-powered vehicles that were sold within Europe would not be involving the installation of a completely new filtration system for emissions, which uses urea as an additive. The system, however, is expected to be installed in the vehicles in United States, where pollution standards are tougher compared to Europe.
Volkswagen, which admitted to the installation of software designed to cheat regulatory emissions tests on over 11 million vehicles all over the world, is in the midst of investigations launched across the globe.
According to Willis, in addition to making the adjustments to the software of the vehicles, Volkswagen would be replacing the fuel injectors that are installed in over 400,000 vehicles located in Britain, which is a more complicated move compared to what was previously revealed.
The recalls of the affected vehicles, which in addition to Volkswagen-branded cars will also cover Seat, Audi and Skoda, will start in Britain in next year's first quarter.
"First of all, I would like to apologize sincerely and unreservedly that Volkswagen has significantly let down its customers and the wider public," said Willis. "We recognize that we have fallen short of the standards expected of us, and we will take all the necessary steps to regain trust."
Last week, Volkswagen USA CEO Michael Horn went through a similar ordeal as he faced a congressional hearing. In addition to apologizing for the emission scandal, Horn blamed some software engineers for their supposed secret plan with regards to the regulatory emissions test cheating.
"To my understanding, this was not a corporate decision. This was something individuals did," Horn said.
Horn also said that the Volkswagen vehicles located in the United State would be requiring a "major fix," but the initiatives may not begin until 2016. The company is given a deadline of Nov. 20 to submit its plan to regulators, which would first have to approve the plan to fix the situation before it is implemented.
