VW to share details of vehicles having EA189 engines with ARAI

ARAI report may take more time

Volkswagen is preparing to share details of cars fitted with EA 189 diesel engine and sold in India with the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). Accordingly, the report from Pune-based central government agency ARAI, which is investigating the matter on a government directive, is likely to be delayed. The report was expected to come by Wednesday.

“All investigations are currently being carried out from Wolfsburg, Germany. Yes, ARAI has requested Volkswagen India to present the details of all the cars sold in India with the EA 189 engine. We are compiling the data and awaiting results from Germany on the investigations to present the accurate picture to ARAI,” said a Volkswagen India spokesperson.

Once ARAI has the list of vehicles, it is expected to initiate tests to check if emission-test defeating software is installed. It is not clear how the sample would be selected. Normally, a random vehicle is selected for testing of a new product.   The world’s largest automobile maker, Volkswagen, is in the process of recalling 11 million vehicles, mostly with EA 189 engine and emission-test defeating software.

The company has admitted to installing such software in large numbers in its major markets like the US and Europe. Volkswagen UK said on Wednesday that 1.2 million vehicles in the UK were affected by the software, used to fudge emission.



India is a small market for the company. Volkswagen, which sells 10.1 million vehicles globally, has an annual volume of only 45,000 in India. If we include 15,000 each sold by Audi and Skoda, the other two group companies present in India, the number goes up to 75,000 units a year.

So, India accounts for less than a per cent of its global sales. However, majority of these vehicles sold in India are estimated to be equipped with a diesel engine.

The current atmosphere could impact sales of Volkswagen cars in India, especially in the high-demand festive months of October and November. “The production and sales of our cars are going on as per plan. All vehicles in customers’ hands are safe right now,” the Volkswagen spokesperson said.



India follows BSIV emission norms (and even III in some areas) against VI in Europe and even more stringent norm in the US.

“India has an independent testing and certification process for emission, very different to the American system where self-certification of emission norms happens,” said Vishnu Mathur, director general of Society of Indian automobile Manufacturers.  India also lacks the system of testing in-use vehicles, as is the case in US. But, this is something India can move towards, an industry executive said.

If ARAI finds proof against Volkswagen, more safeguards could be underway. An industry executive, however, lamented that stray cases by one player makes the certification more time consuming for all other players.