German authorities order Volkswagen to recall 2.4m vehicles

Germany’s automotive watchdog has ordered a mandatory recall of 2.4m diesel Volkswagen vehicles equipped with software that cheats emissions tests.

A spokeswoman for the KBA confirmed earlier newspaper reports by saying: “We are ordering the recall”.

German daily Bild reported that the KBA had rejected a proposal by VW under which owners of the diesel cars in question could voluntarily take their cars in to be fixed.

Germany’s transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said on Thursday that the mandatory recall would be overseen by the regulator and that it was expected to last more than a year.

Volkswagen admitted in September that it had installed emissions-cheating software in nearly 11m vehicles.

The KBA and other European national authorities will provide an update to the European Commission in Brussels later on Thursday about their investigations of the emissions scandal.

Earlier this week, Volkswagen said it will cut its investments by €1bn a year and accelerate its cost-cutting programme as it makes changes to the diesel technology used in its cars in the wake of the scandal.