IFTRT seeks penalty on Volkswagen, GM in India

The transport research body said the Indian consumer is being taken for granted and auto makers are going scot free in absence of any mandatory auto recall policy in India

In the backdrop of Volkswagen fudging emission norms in the US and facing huge penalties, a demand is being made to haul up the company in India. The Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT), a transport research body, has also sought punishment for General Motors (GM) for “its act of omission and commission in fudging emission specifications for its Tavera sold during 2005-2013”. IFTRT stated that GM had been allowed to go scot free in India, as the company voluntarily recalled 142,000 Tavera for minor repairs.

“The fact remains that GM India in complicity with annual Confirmation of Production (CoP) carrying agencies for Tavera committed corporate fraud and compromised emission specifications. But the union government did not take action and passed the buck to state governments to take action, the body alleged. It also said Volkswagen should be hauled for its CoP process in India. IFTRT said the Indian consumer is being taken for granted and automotive makers go scot free in absence of any mandatory auto recall policy in India and lack of compulsory product liability laws to protect the consumers and road users. India does not have a mandatory recall policy for vehicles, though companies have voluntarily announced recalls from time to time.

With last week’s announcement of Honda to recall 223,578 vehicles, about a million passenger vehicles have been recalled by different domestic players since July 2012 when industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers announced a voluntary recall code for its member companies.