The Latest: VW CEO again apologizes as emissions scandal goes global, grows to 11 million cars

The latest developments in the scandal enveloping Volkswagen over the company's admission that it rigged emissions tests for diesel-powered cars.

11:30 a.m.

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn apologized again for the scandal, and pledged a fast and thorough investigation. "Millions of people across the world trust our brands, our cars and our technologies," he said in a video message. "I am endlessly sorry that we have disappointed this trust." Earlier, Volkswagen disclosed that some 11 million of its diesel vehicles worldwide were fitted with software programmed to switch engines to a cleaner mode during official emissions testing. The software then switches off again, enabling cars to drive more powerfully on the road while emitting as much as 40 times the legal pollution limit. VW said it was setting aside around 6.5 billion euros ($7.3 billion) to cover the cost of fixing the cars.

German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said he was setting up a commission to determine whether the VW diesel vehicles were built and examined in a way that complied with German and European rules. The governments of France and South Korea also said they would investigate the Volkswagen vehicles.