The Wolfsburg-based automaker Volkswagen was the world's largest automaker by sales between 2016 and 2019. In 2019, the company set a new record and sold over 10,9 million vehicles to customers worldwide. In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency uncovered a “defeat device” software code installed in the diesel models sold in the U.S. from 2009 to 2015. The code was intended to detect when an emissions test was being conducted and altered emissions controls for better compliance. Further investigation showed that 11 million cars worldwide had been fitted with the device. In the wake of the scandal, the company’s CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned, and Volkswagen had to pay more than $30 billion in penalties and lawsuit settlements. The emissions scandal catalyzed the company’s considerable investment into electric car technology, and the sales of VW’s electric fleet have steadily increased in recent years. This video explains the scandal and its consequences for the company both in the U.S. and Germany.