State Of Texas Sues Volskwagen, Audi Over Cheating Scandal

The state of Texas is suing Volkswagen and Audi for lying about how “clean” their cars were and unnecessarily polluting the state’s air.

The lawsuits allege that the car manufacturers violated state consumer protection laws and clean air standards. They were filed Thursday in the Travis County District Court in downtown Austin and posted online.

The Environmental Protection Agency said in September that Volkswagen, which owns Audi, violated emissions standards by installing “defeat devices” on certain diesel vehicles, which limited smog emissions only when cars were being tested. Otherwise, the cars would run up to 40 times higher than the amount shown during testing.

Texans bought about 32,000 affected vehicles, and the companies have 49 authorized dealerships in Texas, including three in Travis County, according to a press release.

“For years, Volkswagen intentionally mislead consumers about the environmental and performance qualities of the vehicles they sold in Texas,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said in the release. “When companies willfully violate the public’s trust, a penalty must be paid, and we will hold these entities responsible.”

SEE MORE:

• EPA: Volkswagen Intentionally Violated Emissions Rules
• Volkswagen CEO Resigning After Cheating Scandal
• NHTSA Chief Tells Automakers Regulators ‘Questioning Everything Now’

The lawsuits seek “restitution on behalf of Texas consumers who were victimized by Volkswagen’s deceptions and misrepresentations,” “an injunction barring the companies from engaging in such practices in the future” and “civil penalties to deter Volkswagen and others from similar behavior in the future,” the release said.

You can read the full court filings here and here.