VW offices searched in investigation

German prosecutors have carried out searches as part of their investigation into the Volkswagen emissions scandal, seeking material that would help clarify who was responsible for the cheating.

The raids were carried out in Wolfsburg, where VW has its HQ, and at other locations, prosecutors in nearby Braunschweig said in a statement.

They said the aim of the searches was to “secure documents and data storage devices” that could identify those involved in the alleged manipulation and explain how it was carried out.

Prosecutors last week launched an investigation to find who was responsible for suspected fraud committed through the sale of vehicles with manipulated emissions data.

They acted after receiving about a dozen criminal complaints from citizens and one from VW itself.

Long-time chief executive Martin Winterkorn resigned after the scandal broke in the US on September 18, saying that he was not aware of any wrongdoing on his part. He was replaced by Porsche boss Matthias Mueller.

VW has suspended four individuals, including three managers who were responsible for engine development, and hired US law firm Jones Day to conduct an investigation.

Earlier, Germany’s vice chancellor travelled to Wolfsburg to send a message of support to the carmaker’s employees, and urged the company to be proactive in its efforts to clear up the scandal.

Sigmar Gabriel, who is also Germany’s economy minister, joined a meeting of employee representatives from Germany and beyond as Volkswagen tries to determine who was responsible for the installation of test-cheating software and how quickly up to 11m vehicles that may contain it can be fixed.

“It is important to send the message that, in the end, the employees must not pay the price for criminal behaviour by managers,” Mr Gabriel said in Wolfsburg.

VW said the 2 litre engines will need a software update that should be ready before the year’s end and be installed from the start of 2016, said Dobrindt. He said 1.6 litre vehicles need “an engineering modification that according to Volkswagen shouldn’t be expected before September 2016”.

There are some 3.6m 1.6 litre cars in Europe, Dobrindt said. He did not say what fix will be required for 1.2 litre cars.