This story is free to read.

The Latest: Crowd gathering to hear VW executive’s testimony

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2015 file photo President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Michael Horn at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Volkswagen's top U.S.-based executive is expected to testify before Congress Thursday that he first learned in 2014 of emissions problems with the German automaker's diesel cars. But in prepared remarks, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Michael Horn doesn't directly address when he was first told his company had developed on-board computer software designed to deceive emissions tests. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen, File) FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2015 file photo President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Michael Horn at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Volkswagen's top U.S.-based executive is expected to testify before Congress Thursday that he first learned in 2014 of emissions problems with the German automaker's diesel cars. But in prepared remarks, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Michael Horn doesn't directly address when he was first told his company had developed on-board computer software designed to deceive emissions tests. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen, File)

By Associated Press October 8, 2015 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – The latest on the congressional hearing on Volkswagen’s emissions-rigging (all times local):

___

9:15 a.m.

It’s early and the line is growing. By 8 a.m. – two hours before the start of the House hearing – a crowd already is waiting to get into the room where Volkswagen’s top U.S. executive awaits tough question from lawmakers in the aftermath of the emissions-rigging scandal that’s hit the world’s largest automaker.

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee is set to hear from Volkswagen of America CEO Michael Horn and officials from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Lawmakers are investigating after Volkswagen admitted it installed on-board computer software designed to cheat on government emissions tests in nearly 500,000 of its four-cylinder “clean diesel” cars, starting with the 2009 model year.

According to an advance copy of Horn’s prepared remarks, VW plans to withdraw applications seeking U.S. emissions certifications for its 2016 model Jettas, Golfs, Passats and Beetles with diesel engines. That’s raising questions about whether a “defeat device” similar to that in earlier models is also in the new cars.