Study: Volkswagen’s emission cheat to cause 60 premature deaths in U.S.

Based on a new MIT-led study, the use of Volkswagen’s software to evade emissions in more than 482,000 diesel vehicles sold in the U.S. will directly contribute to 60 premature deaths across the country. The Environmental Protection Agency discovered in September 2015 that Volkswagen had developed and installed “defeat devices” (software) in light-duty diesel vehicles sold between 2008 and 2015.

Based on the results of the study, conducted by researchers at MIT and Harvard University and published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, excess emissions from Volkswagen’s defeat devices will cause around 60 people in the U.S. to die 10 to 20 years prematurely. If the automaker recalls every affected vehicle by the end of 2016, more than 130 additional early deaths may be avoided. If, however, Volkswagen does not order a recall in the U.S., the excess emissions, compounding in the future, will cause 140 people to die early.

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