‘More reliable’ emissions testing for cars

New cars will have to pass tougher EU examinations to measure their CO2 outputs from today, following the scandal that saw Volkswagen use software to cheat previous emissions tests.

The EU Commission has claimed its new emissions tests are “more reliable”, and include measurements of a vehicle’s outputs in real driving conditions as well as on rolling roads in laboratory settings.

A new, on-road, Real Driving Emissions test will gauge pollutant emissions, including nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate emissions, by attaching portable emission-measuring systems to a car while the vehicle is driven in real conditions on the road.