Volkswagen scandal raises questions over compliance here

Volkswagen’s emission scandal raises questions of how the Land Transport Authority (LTA) inspects new vehicles before they are allowed to market their cars to the masses here.

The LTA administers the Fuel Economy Labelling Scheme here. It accepts test reports from laboratories recognised by the authorities. It may request any imported cars to undergo a verification test at the VICOM Emission Test Laboratory to ensure accuracy of the CO2 emission data, even if test reports from recognised laboratories are submitted.

Relying on evidence from car manufacturers or other overseas sources can be dangerous because we do not know how these tests are conducted overseas or whether the process has been adulterated. Transport and Environment, a green pressure group, said the gulf between stated fuel economy figures and those actually achieved in Europe has grown to 40 per cent in recent years.

The issue arises over compliance with exhaust emission standards. A report by the International Council on Clean Transportation found a more than 40 per cent difference between actual and declared emissions. European carmakers test their own vehicles via independent testing organisations certified by governments, but these organisations are commercial enterprises that compete for business. Their ability to optimise the tests could be a way of winning customers.

It is time for the LTA to consider levelling even closer scrutiny. This is all the more critical as carmakers seek to boost their market share by improving their public image.

If instances of cheating on emissions tests are not discovered by the LTA, the impact could be fatal. The Economist cited a study suggesting that nitrogen oxides and other emissions from vehicular exhausts cause large numbers of early deaths, up to 58,000 a year in the US alone.

Deceitful fuel economy labelling would also cost motorists more money in petrol for trusting the carmakers’ false declarations. The economics of the auto industry makes it profitable to cheat because complying with clear air and fuel efficiency regulations can add thousands of dollars to a vehicle’s price. The LTA should tighten their regulatory framework, such that tests are conducted in Singapore.