Volkswagen scandal prompts Netherlands to test dozens of diesel engines

Following the Volkswagen diesel scandal, road traffic service RDW has decided to test whether more cars in the Netherlands are equipped with software that can tamper with emission tests. 

Last month the RDW sent letters to 22 car manufacturers who had diesel cars approved in the Netherlands over the past few years. This includes manufacturers Volvo, Opel, Nissan, Kia and Hyundai. The letter asked whether their cars contain fraudulent software. All manufacturers who responded said that their cars did not.

The RDW therefore decided to test some of these cars, the service confirmed to NOS. The tests will be done in the Lelystad test center. The cars will follow the same program on the dyno and on the road under the same conditions, sch as ambient temperature, speed and load. As the conditions are the same, the emissions should also be the same. If there are too large differences, it would indicate that the software tampered with the results. The tests will take between six and eight months, according to the broadcaster.

At this stage it is unclear how many of the 22 manufacturers' cars will be tested or what will happen if the RDW concludes that the differences in test results are inexplicably high.

RDW emphasizes that none of these manufacturers are suspected of tampering with their emissions tests.