According to measurements of the German environmental aid, the exhaust gas scandal has also reached BMW. Now the manufacturer wants to prove that the allegation of illegal defeat devices in vehicles of the 3-series is incorrect.
Klaus Fröhlich, BMW board member, responsible for development
Monday, 11.12.2017
10:22
The in the exhaust scandal under pressure BMW manufacturer wants to defend itself against the allegations of the German environmental aid (DUH). “We could the vehicle tested by the DUH and will measure this on the chassis dynamometer and on the road extensively and professionally together with a neutral institution, “said BMW Development Board member Klaus Fröhlich in an interview.
The DUH had accused the manufacturer after driving tests to use in a diesel BMW 320d possibly an illegal shutdown device. Such a device recognizes when the car is on the test bench, throttles the exhaust gas cleaning but inadmissible when it is driven in real operation on the road. The manufacturer denies this.
Merry criticized the measuring methods of the DUH. “For us it looks like the DUH was driving in high-speed areas but at low loads, so you have to imagine that the engine is howling so much that you’ve intuitively been up for a long time,” said the manager. “By such forced and untypical driving modes in the edge area one can construct striking emission values, which have no real explanatory power.” The DUH rejects the allegations. The measurements depict real driving situations.
The motors should comply with the legal regulations
BMW was previously considered comparatively irreproachable in the diesel exhaust scandal, which was triggered by VW and uncovered in 2015. Again and again had CEO Harald Krüger stressed that BMW will not be manipulated, the engines meet the legal requirements.
The DUH accuses BMW, however, that the exhaust gas recirculation downshifts in the 320d from a speed of 2500 revolutions per minute and off completely from 3500 revolutions. Exhaust gas recirculation is one of several systems for reducing harmful exhaust gases.
Automakers usually justify the partial or complete shutdown of exhaust gas recirculation under certain conditions with the motor protection. “Physically, the exhaust gas recirculation must be adapted to the engine speeds in order to prevent both increased particulate emissions and thermal damage to the exhaust gas-carrying components,” says BMW chief developer Fröhlich.
Fröhlich complained above all that the DUH testers the BMW of the type 320d did not drive as the normal BMW driver. “Statistical evaluations on customer driving profiles show us that the vehicle is normally moved in the area of active exhaust gas recirculation during normal use and does not reach the margins where DUH evidently forced the vehicle through targeted gearshifts,” criticized Fröhlich. “Incidentally, the car also indicates in such cases in the display: ‘Please upshift.'”
Prosecutor and Ministry of Transport have turned on
The criticism of Fröhlich surprised. Speeds between 2000 and 3500 revolutions, at which the tested vehicle initially reduced the exhaust gas recirculation and later switched off, are completely normal in the everyday operation of a car.
The BMW executive dismissed the allegations of the DUH as a whole. “All these insinuations are frivolous for us and pulled to the hair, and who makes such a thing deliberately, one could accuse of intention.”
Due to the reporting had the Attorney Munich on Wednesday initiated a preliminary investigation. If there are sufficient grounds for suspicion, this will usually lead to a preliminary investigation. That too Federal Ministry of Transport deals with the allegations of the environmental association and commissioned the Federal Motor Transport Authority with the test.