Germany confirms Audi recall due to illicit emission-control device

[January 22, 2018]  BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's transport ministry confirmed a media report on Monday that the KBA automotive watchdog detected illicit emission-control software in Audi's <NSUG.DE> latest Euro-6 diesel models and ordered a recall of the vehicles.

Some 127,000 vehicles from Audi, a unit of Volkswagen <VOWG_p.DE>, are affected worldwide including 77,600 vehicles are registered in Germany, a spokeswoman for the German transport ministry said during a regular news conference.

Newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported that road transport authority KBA had told Audi to respond by Feb. 2 on how it plans to update vehicle software controlling emissions, making sure the cars are unable to illegally manipulate emission controls.

Audi said in a statement on Sunday that the models had been included in a voluntary recall of 850,000 diesel vehicles with V6 and V8 TDI engines announced in July.

(Reporting by Michael Nienaber,; Editing by Joseph Nasr)

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