RAC responds to Government plans for emissions testing investigation

RAC chief engineer David Bizley said: “While there is no evidence that other manufacturers have been seeking to defeat emissions tests, news that the Government is launching its own investigation should go some way towards restoring battered consumer confidence.

“The VW revelation is now shining an uncomfortable light on the emissions testing system, parts of which have been recognised for some time by all parties to be well past their ‘sell by’ date.

“A new worldwide test has been in the pipeline for some considerable time, and the expectations are that results will represent real-world driving more closely, but it is unrealistic to think a laboratory test will ever mirror completely a car being driven on a real road by different drivers.

“As this is not due to take effect until 2017 all attention must now be put on ensuring the test cannot be defeated by software so that consumers can be confident in the emissions levels of the vehicles they are buying.”

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About RAC Media Centre

The RAC Media Centre provides journalists and news outlets with the latest motoring-related news, comment, data and research.

The RAC is an iconic British motoring organisation and has been championing drivers since 1897. Today it is one of the UK’s most trusted brands, providing complete peace of mind to over 15 million drivers across breakdown cover, insurance, and mobile servicing and repairs.

Its nationwide patrol force attends more than two million breakdowns every year, while its position as the UK’s leading independent insurance broker helps motorists find the right cover with confidence. The RAC has also reshaped the service, maintenance and repair market with its Mobile Mechanics, who carry out servicing and repairs at drivers’ homes or workplaces.

Committed to innovation, the RAC is fully electric‑ready with mobile EV charging technology for stranded drivers, and a suite of digital and data‑led solutions that make motoring easier and more affordable for consumers and fleets. These services come together in myRAC – the all‑in‑one app for vehicle maintenance, cheaper fuel finding and breakdown assistance.

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