Peugeot Citroen to publish 'real world' emissions data

French carmaker Peugeot Citroen plans to measure and publish the "real world" fuel usage and pollutant emissions of its main passenger vehicles.

Environmental group Transport & Environment will help it to collate the figures, which will be based on tests on open public roads.

The new testing procedure will be done in "real driving conditions", it said.

Fuel usage data will be ready by spring next year, with emissions figures ready by spring 2017, Peugeot said.

The move comes in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions-cheating scandal.

"In these troubled times for the industry, we must keep the trust of our consumers," said chief executive Carlos Tavares.

The carmaker said all the data would be audited and checked by an external third party.

Volkswagen's admission that it installed software to cheat emissions tests in 11 million of its diesel cars worldwide, has put the spotlight on cars' NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions, as well as criticism of the tests themselves.

Peugeot said its new tests would include "urban, extra-urban and highway driving".

The carmaker, which almost collapsed during the car industry's global recession, reported a first-half profit for the first time since 2011 earlier this year.

Under Mr Tavares, who took the helm last year, the firm has cut the number of models it makes and increased prices.