SAN FRANCISCO — Volkswagen has agreed to pay its U.S. dealers up to $1.2 billion to compensate them for losses they said they suffered as a result of the company’s emissions cheating scandal, according to a settlement agreement filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco. A judge still has to approve the settlement before it can go into effect. Volkswagen declined comment beyond a statement it issued Friday noting that the settlement “is not intended to apply to or affect Volkswagen’s obligations under the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction outside the United States.”

The automaker previously reached an agreement with attorneys for U.S. vehicle owners. Also on Friday, attorneys for vehicle owners said in a court filing that more than 311,000 people have registered for compensation under automaker’s vehicle-owner deal and less than 3,300 people have opted out. Separately, the U.S. Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission and lawyers for owners of 475,000 polluting diesel cars filed legal papers late Friday asking a federal judge to grant final approval to buy-back offers and diesel remediation efforts at an Oct. 18 court hearing.
Volkswagen agrees to pay its U.S. dealers up to US$1.2 billion to compensate them for their losses resulting from the company's emissions cheating scandal.