A long row of unsold 2021 Atlas sports-utility vehicles sits at a Volkswagen dealership in March 2021 in Lakewood, Colo. Certain Atlas SUV vehicles were recalled due to a faulty weight sensor in the front passenger seat, which can switch off that seat's airbag. David Zalubowski/AP hide caption
David Whitcomb of Waynesboro, Va., says he paid a premium for the diesel engine on his 2015 Passat TDI because he thought it would mean fewer emissions. Courtesy of David Whitcomb hide caption
German carmaker Volkswagen says it has a plan to refit diesel cars that will make them comply with emissions standards. Here, the entrance to a VW branch in Duesseldorf, Germany, is seen on Monday. Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Volkswagen diesels are shown behind a security fence on a storage lot near a VW dealership in Salt Lake City. The carmaker is reeling from a scandal over its use of devices to fool emissions tests of diesel models. Rick Bowmer/AP hide caption
Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, seen here at last week's Frankfurt Auto Show IAA in Germany, says he is asking the board to accept his resignation. Jens Meyer/AP hide caption
Visitors look at Volkswagen cars at the 2015 IAA Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany on Monday. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has apologized to customers over a scandal involving emissions in its diesel cars. Hannelore Foerster/Getty Images hide caption
Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn (left) apologized for his company's actions, saying, "We do not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the law." He's seen here on the first day of the Frankfurt Auto Show last Thursday, one day before the EPA said VW had cheated on emissions tests. Jens Meyer/AP hide caption
Volkswagen Jetta models — like this TDI from 2011 labeled "clean diesel" — were found to have software that cheated official emissions tests, the EPA says. More than 480,000 cars are affected. Ramin Talaie/Getty Images hide caption