A mandatory recall of Volkswagen's diesel cars was ordered by the German government on Thursday, according to the Financial Times. The decision comes amid a growing emissions scandal that has affected 8.5 million cars throughout Europe.
The Federal Motor Transport Authority is calling for the recall of 2.4 million cars affected by a software design that has allowed VW to cheat pollutions tests, according to Bloomberg. This is one of the biggest recalls in all of European automotive history.
VW will be expected to remove the device that alters the results of pollution tests and make the necessary modifications to comply to the vehicle's hardware, according to the Financial Times.
The Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt gave a statement following the announcement.
"The Federal Motor Transport Authority is of the opinion that the software constitutes an unauthorized defeat device. Volkswagen is ordered to remove the software from all vehicles and to take appropriate measures to ensure that the emissions rules are fulfilled," he said, according to NY Daily News.
It's believed that the recall will begin in January and could last well into 2016, as HNGN previously reported.
The United States has yet to order a similar recall, but the EPA still evaluating the steps Volkswagen plans on taking to remedy the unraveling scandal, according to Bloomberg.
