Specialists have determined that the built-in software is capable, under certain conditions, of disabling the exhaust gas recirculation valve, causing the volume of harmful emissions to increase significantly. The mechanism activates at temperatures from 15 to 33 degrees and at altitudes above 1000 meters above sea level.
Volkswagen representatives claim that this software logic was used to extend the service life of the power unit, and not at all to manipulate environmental indicators. This valve is responsible for supplying exhaust gases to the intake tract, which leads to a reduction in the oxygen share in the air and a slowdown of the combustion process. As a result, the combustion temperature drops, and the level of harmful emissions decreases.
The Court of Justice of the European Union did not accept such explanations, since this solution resembles the diesel engine control algorithm that previously caused a major scandal known as "dieselgate."
The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EU, Athanasios Rantos, noted that engine protection cannot serve as a justification for using such software.
