Angry VW owners slam emissions deal in court

Several angry Volkswagen owners told a federal judge on Tuesday that a $10 billion settlement does not adequately compensate them for the automaker’s emissions cheating scandal, part of a vocal minority who objected to the deal after hundreds of thousands of others signed up for payments. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer will determine whether the settlement is fair to consumers and should receive final approval. The settlement calls for the German automaker to spend up to $10 billion to buy back or repair about 475,000 Volkswagens and Audi vehicles with 2-liter diesel engines and pay their owners an additional $5,100 to $10,000 each. The scandal erupted in September 2015 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Volkswagen had fitted many of its cars with software to fool emissions tests, putting dirty vehicles on the road. The EPA alleged the scheme let the cars spew more than 40 times the allowable limit of nitrogen oxide, which can cause respiratory problems in people. Volkswagen still faces potentially billions more in fines and penalties and possible criminal charges.