Renault to target diesel pollution

Renault says it plans a software upgrade to cut nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution from its diesel engines, which have come under fire for their relatively high emissions in the wake of the Volkswagen test-rigging scandal.

Following VW’s exposure last September for using software ‘defeat devices’ to cheat US regulatory tests, the French carmaker has drawn public and investor scrutiny over its own emissions performance.

Besides VW’s outright cheating, the diesel scandal has heightened awareness of real-world NOx emissions by the broader car industry far exceeding those measured in flawed European regulatory tests — with Renault often cited by campaigners as among the worst offenders.