Despite the ongoing diesel emissions scandal rocking the VW Group, the German conglomerate says that the USA remains a core market for it as it attempts to win back consumer trust throughout 2016.
During a press conference at the Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen AG’s chief executive Matthias Muller once again apologized for the company’s failings and ongoing issues with government bodies in the U.S. He said that “we are totally committed to making things right”.
Currently, Volkswagen is still working on viable solutions to fix issues with around 600,000 cars identified as having been installed with software that cheats diesel emissions testing. Technical solutions for affected models in Europe have already been finalised and once the United States Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resource Board approve solutions for the U.S, Volkswagen will present its fixes to the public.
In a big win for the U.S. economy, Volkswagen is remaining committed to expanding its local operations, including investments totalling over $1 billion at its Chattanooga plant. A further $900 million will be invested into the U.S. production of a new mid-size SUV by the end of the year.
During his press conference, Muller said that the company’s most important job is to regain trust, even more so than recalling various models. He hopes that by uncovering and releasing details about the scandal, Volkswagen can restore its credibility.
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