Diesel engines are at the heart of Volkswagen's subterfuge. The company has admitted installing a "defeat device" in about 11 million vehicles that allow them to emit far fewer pollutants during tests than during real-world driving. The entire technology may be tarnished by Volkswagen's sins, analysts said.
"It's bad for diesel in the U.S.," said Mark Wakefield, managing director and head of automotive practices for the consulting group AlixPartners. "There isn't a high bar on creating a concern in the consumer's mind. Now people are waiting to see if this is really a one-company issue."
