VW emissions scandal is a one-off incident, says motor industry boss

Cheating on vehicle emissions is not an industry-wide problem, insists UK's top representative of the car industry

The row that has engulfed the diesel car industry over cheating on vehicle emissions tests is limited to one company and should not be taken to indicate an industry-wide problem, the UK's top representative of the car industry insisted on Thursday.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said with regard to the VW emissions rigging scandal: "The actions of one company should not be taken to stand for the whole industry. There is no evidence to suggest this is an industry-wide issue. [This is] one instance of cheating."