The prosecution has searched the BMW headquarters and initiated investigations into suspected fraud. Approximately 11,400 diesel cars should have been specifically equipped with incorrect exhaust gas software. BMW denies that.
BMW headquarters in Munich
Tuesday, 20.03.2018
4:00 pm
The Munich public prosecutor has the BMW headquarters in Munich because of the initial suspicion of inadmissible software to shut down the dieselExhaust gas cleaning searched. A total of about one hundred civil servants were involved in the action in Munich and at one location in Austria, the agency announced on Tuesday. BMW confirmed that.
“There is the initial suspicion that the BMW AG has used a test stand-related defeat device (has),” said the prosecutor. They would have one on the 27th of February Preliminary investigation against unknown on suspicion of fraud initiated. The prosecution has been investigating the suspicion of emissions fraud for some time now Volkswagen-Daughter Audi, The investigators in both cases exchanged views, explained an insider. At VW stood on Tuesday also again the investigators at the door. Reason for the searches was the Suspected market manipulation.
BMW denies intent
There are 11,400 vehicles that have been known for weeks to have higher emissions than allowed. The carmaker explains so far with a mistake: At internal tests had been foundthat a correctly developed software was erroneously assigned to the wrong model versions. The program was developed for the SUV models X5 and X6, but mistakenly on two 5 and 7 models have been installed. There, the exhaust gas cleaning then no longer work correctly. “The BMW Group continues to assume that the incident is a faulty software assignment and not a targeted manipulation of the emission control,” said BMW.
According to BMW, the affected models M550d xDrive and 750d XDrive should be recalled after approval by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and equipped with the correct software. The prosecution said that the investigations are “just at the beginning”.
BMW has invited for Wednesday’s Annual Press Conference. There wants CEO Harald Krüger give an outlook for the current year. The key figures for the past year has already been communicated to BMW.