BERLIN (AP) — Volkswagen's new chief executive says that a recall of cars with software at the center of the emissions-rigging scandal should start in January and the automaker aims to fix them all by the end of next year.

Volkswagen has said up to 11 million vehicles worldwide across several of its brands contain the diesel engine with the software used to cheat on U.S. emissions tests. CEO Matthias Mueller told the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "It will hopefully be fewer, but in any case still far too many."

Mueller said in an interview published Wednesday that in most cases a software update will suffice to fix the problem but some vehicles could need new injectors and catalyzers.

He said: "If everything goes as planned, we can start the recall in January."