Volkswagen

2026-03-18T10:40:14Z

2001:7C7:1906:196:316B:2EBD:C43F:C209: added german VW website

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=German automobile mass-market manufacturer.
|Founded=1937
|Industry=Automotive
|Logo=Volkswagen.svg
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Public
|Website=https://vw.com/,https://www.volkswagen.de/
}}

'''[[wikipedia:Volkswagen|Volkswagen]]''' is a Germany-based automobile manufacturing company. It was established as part of the [[Wikipedia:German_Labour_Front|German Labour Front]] in 1937. In recent years, the company's vehicles have been equipped with systems that collect customer data, leading to a notable incident.

==Consumer-impact summary==
'''User freedom:''' Volkswagen locks out independent mechanics from accessing the car's control units.

'''User privacy:''' Every vehicle collects driving data, which was also leaked in a one-time incident.

'''Business model:''' The company engages in false advertising and locks already existing vehicle functionalities behind paywalls.

==Incidents==
===Volkswagen found to be cheating in regulatory emissions tests (2015)===
Volkswagen was among several automotive manufacturers who deliberately programmed their emission control systems to only work with full effectivity when the car detected that a regulatory emissions test is being performed. The cars only fulfilled emissions standards in this lab environment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parloff |first=Roger |date=2018-02-06 |title=How VW Paid $25 Billion for ‘Dieselgate’ — and Got Off Easy |url=https://fortune.com/2018/02/06/volkswagen-vw-emissions-scandal-penalties/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250611190226/https://fortune.com/2018/02/06/volkswagen-vw-emissions-scandal-penalties/ |archive-date=2025-06-11 |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Fortune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cormack |first=Lucy |last2=Hatch |first2=Patrick |date=2016-09-01 |title=ACCC takes Volkswagen to court over diesel emission claims |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/accc-takes-volkswagen-to-court-over-diesel-emission-claims-20160901-gr61ud.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250611190834/https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/accc-takes-volkswagen-to-court-over-diesel-emission-claims-20160901-gr61ud.html |archive-date=2025-06-11 |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>

===Volkswagen introduces SFD (2020) and SFD 2 (2024), blocking independent repairs===
{{Main|Volkswagen AG - SFD(2) / UNCE - Protection of car diagnosis}}
Since 2024, Volkswagen AG implements SFD 2 in its vehicles, which blocks access to the car's control units unless users have a valid account in Volkswagen's backend system. Independent mechanics and car owners must purchase $50 unlock tokens for each control unit they need to access, with the units automatically re-locking after 90 minutes.

===Volkswagen car location data gets exposed (2024)===
{{Main|Volkswagen car-location data-exposure incident}}
Customer vehicle data vehicle data stored on AWS with CARIAD was discovered to have public instances due to a possible misconfiguration.

===Volkswagen now locks performance of their ID.3 behind a subscription (2025)===
{{Main|Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription}}
Volkswagen is now forcing owners of the ID.3 to pay extra if they wish their car to deliver the full performance it’s capable of.

===Volkswagen starts displaying ads on ID.7 navigation display during travel (October 2025)===
As first documented by German users on Reddit<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Erstwolf |date=2025-10-16 |title=ID 7 Werbeanzeige während der Navigation 😐 |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Elektroautos/comments/1o8cya8/id_7_werbeanzeige_w%C3%A4hrend_der_navigation/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=Reddit /r/Elektroautos |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260224102956/https://old.reddit.com/r/Elektroautos/comments/1o8cya8/id_7_werbeanzeige_w%C3%A4hrend_der_navigation/ |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref>, the VW app prompts users to enable ads on the main navigation display by using a dark pattern, misleadingly calling them "recommendations". This leads to advertising popups while driving. At the time of writing, it is still possible to disable the ads. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Donath |first=Andreas |date=2025-10-23 |title=VW macht das ID.7-Cockpit zur Werbefläche [German] |url=https://www.golem.de/news/elektroauto-vw-macht-das-id-7-cockpit-zur-werbeflaeche-2510-201446.html |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=Golem |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113075449/https://www.golem.de/news/elektroauto-vw-macht-das-id-7-cockpit-zur-werbeflaeche-2510-201446.html |archive-date=13 Jan 2026}}</ref>

Initial reactions from users include safety concerns because the ad popups constitute unnecessary distractions for the driver.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-23 |title=Geht Gar Nicht!!! |url=https://forum.golem.de/kommentare/automobil/elektroauto-vw-macht-das-id.7-cockpit-zur-werbeflaeche/geht-gar-nicht/184428,7155833,7155833,read.html |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=Golem |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260224103124/https://www.golem.de/sonstiges/zustimmung/auswahl.html?from=https%3A%2F%2Fforum.golem.de%2Fkommentare%2Fautomobil%2Felektroauto-vw-macht-das-id.7-cockpit-zur-werbeflaeche%2Fgeht-gar-nicht%2F184428%2C7155833%2C7155833%2Cread.html |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref>
===Volkswagen removes access to repair guides to 'Non-business' consumers (December 2025)===
Volkswagen removes access to erWin webshop for non-business customers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discontinuation of the erWin webshop for private customers |url=https://volkswagen.erwin-store.com/erwin/downloadStaticFile/files/Privatkunde.pdf |access-date=2025-11-19 |website=VW erWin store |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251130222532/https://volkswagen.erwin-store.com/erwin/downloadStaticFile/files/Privatkunde.pdf |archive-date=30 Nov 2025}}</ref>
==References==
<references />
[[Category:Volkswagen]]

Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Volkswagen