German car giants face EU emissions probe

Note this is not about the original issue of diesel ‘defeat’ devices. Another report at AFP says ‘Daimler and VW are widely reported to be putting themselves forward as whistle-blowers in the case, in order to win leniency with the EU authorities.’ Sounds like a guilty plea.

German carmakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen are to face an EU inquiry for allegedly conspiring to restrict diesel emissions treatment systems, BBC News reports.

The European Commission said it was investigating whether they agreed to limit the development of systems to reduce harmful emissions. It said that if proven, this could mean that consumers had been denied the chance to buy less polluting cars.

The firms were raided in 2017 as part of the Commission’s earlier inquiries.

The Commission said its in-depth investigation was intended to assess whether the carmakers colluded, in breach of EU anti-trust rules, to avoid competing on technology to clean up petrol and diesel car emissions.

It said it was focusing on information indicating that the companies, including VW-owned Audi and Porsche, had met to discuss the development and deployment of emissions technology.

Two kinds of emissions control systems are under scrutiny:

— Selective catalytic reduction systems, which reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines
— “Otto” particulate filters, which reduce emissions from petrol-driven cars.

“The Commission’s in-depth investigation in this case concerns specific co-operation that is suspected to have aimed at limiting the technical development or preventing to roll-out of technical devices,” it said.

Daimler issued a statement saying that it was co-operating fully with the authorities and had filed a leniency application.

Continued here.