BERLIN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The German Ministry of Transport announced on Tuesday the creation of a "German Institute for Consumption and Emission Measurements" in response to a scandal surrounding carmakers' failure to comply with existing EU regulations.
With the creation of this institute, Federal Minister of Transport Alexander Dobrindt plans to establish a new test facility for automobile exhaust emissions.
The Ministry hopes to create more transparency on car emissions values. The institute will carry out measurements in real road operations on a fixed route and publish the results on an internet portal.
Municipalities, consumer associations, social organizations and the Federal Ministry for the Environment will be involved in the institute's advisory council. The institute is to be financed by German car manufacturers according to an agreement.
Car emissions are often significantly higher in real road operations than during the official bench tests carried out in a laboratory. New testing procedures, closer to reality, are scheduled for introduction in the EU in the fall of 2017.
The inquiry commission, set up by the Ministry of Transport to investigate car exhaust emissions values after the Volkswagen diesel scandal, on Tuesday reported that two German diesel car models exceeded the tolerance limit for CO2 emissions.
As a consequence, German car manufacturer Opel was urged by the Federal Motor Transport Authority to carry out a recall and modify the relevant engines.
Overall, the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is seen by scientists as a key contributing factor to climate change, were evaluated in 19 vehicles originating from German manufacturers or approved as vehicles in Germany.
The tests conducted by the inquiry commission for a further ten cars by foreign brands are still ongoing.
