According to an article in The New York Times, Volkswagen (VW) commissioned an experiment on macaque monkeys in response to the World Health Organization’s move to classify diesel exhaust as a carcinogen. At the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute—a notoriously cruel contract laboratory that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has repeatedly cited for neglecting and abusing animals—10 monkeys were locked inside chambers and forced to inhale diesel fumes emitted from an old Ford pickup truck and a VW Beetle for four hours. Lab workers showed the monkeys cartoons to keep them calm while they were breathing in the poisonous fumes. We don’t know what ultimately happened to the animals, but we do know that after the testing, samples of their lung tissue were removed to check for inflammation.

But wait, there’s more: The company was busted for rigging the Beetle used in the experiment to generate fewer emissions than normal, and it pleaded guilty to charges that it manipulated its emissions data. But when it was later publicized that the company funded the use of monkeys in the falsified experiment, its response took on a different tone. In a “sorry, not sorry” move, while it issued statements apologizing for manipulating the experiment, when asked by PETA to pledge never to conduct tests on animals or pay others to carry out such testing again, it refused.

Perhaps VW is unaware of PETA’s history with the auto industry. In 1993, PETA took down General Motors (GM) faster than you can say “Fahrvergnügen.” Tipped off by GM employees who were concerned about the company’s use of live animals in crash tests, PETA learned that more than 20,000 pigs, dogs, rabbits, and other animals had been bludgeoned in heart- and brain-impact studies. That’s when we proceeded to get all up in its grill. After we ran a hard-hitting campaign—which included auto-show protests, organized car bashes and burnings, and even the storming of its float in the Rose Bowl Parade—GM cried uncle and announced that it would never again use animals in crash tests. This victory was a milestone for PETA and resulted in the end of all car-crash tests on animals worldwide.

So, a word to the wise, VW: Watch your rearview mirror, because PETA is coming for you.

Please urge VW to pledge never to conduct experiments on animals again: Send a quick message to the company.