Days after it emerged the U.S. Department of Justice Department was preparing to sue Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the company has announced an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.
As a “result of many months of close collaboration,” FCA has filed an application for diesel vehicle emissions certification with the two aforementioned agencies. The application covers the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 EcoDiesel which will be equipped with “updated emissions software calibrations.”
More telling is the fact the company wants to install the modified software on 2014-2016 Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The automaker isn’t admitting any wrongdoing but says it “believes this will address the agencies’ concerns regarding the emissions software calibrations in those vehicles.”
FCA goes on to say changes to the emissions software should “facilitate a prompt resolution” with the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division as well as other government agencies.
If everyone signs off on the changes, FCA expects owners of affected vehicles will be able to take them to their nearest dealership and receive the software update. The company believes the updated software will reduce emissions without any impact on performance or fuel efficiency.
