bleached by the French authorities Opel is not yet fully out of business in the scandal of diesel engines rigged. The German Ministry of Transport (KBA) announced on Saturday that the car manufacturer, a subsidiary of PSA, was under investigation. According to the Bild daily, the KBA informed Opel “this week” of its suspicions and gave it “two weeks” to respond. Opel said in 2016 “do not install illegal software” in its cars.
An “official hearing”
“There is an official hearing against Opel on three models [of the NDLR diesel standard] ‘Euro 6’,” a spokesman for the ministry told AFP, adding that “nothing definite” could be done. be told before the final results of the procedure. But according to the German newspaper “Bild”, the Federal Automobile Agency KBA has “solid elements” against Opel, including the exhaust management system of three diesel models: Cascada, Insignia and Zafira, which would release “more than 10 times” nitrogen oxide emission standards, according to “Bild”. In total, some 60,000 vehicles, including 10,000 in Germany, would be affected. “Current production is not affected, however,” the paper continues, citing sources inside Opel.
Opel did not receive any reviews
On the Opel side, it is claimed that they have not been aware of this new procedure. “Opel has not received an opinion from the KBA,” says a spokesman. We can not comment on proceedings that started more than two years ago. We wish to recall that Opel has already recognized a potential for improvement in December 2015 and started a technological initiative for more transparency. The manufacturer had in particular recalled certain models produced in the years 2013-2016.
90.000 vehicles concerned
According to a source close to the file, however, it specifies that this new procedure would concern some 90,000 vehicles in Europe, of which 30,000 have already received a software update. It remains to be seen whether the 60,000 vehicles to be treated, including 10,000 in Germany, will be included in Opel’s voluntary recall plan or if the German Ministry of Transport will impose a recall (as for Daimler). As for Opel’s current production and the possible repercussions on PSA, Opel adapted its production in August 2016, before its acquisition in 2017 by PSA, by modifying the engine software. The subject had therefore probably been handled by PSA and GE before the transaction.
A case launched in 2015
It was in September 2015 that the diesel engine scandal exploded when the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accused Volkswagen of equipping 11 million diesel cars with software that could skew the result. anti-pollution tests and concealing emissions sometimes exceeding 40 times the allowed standards.
Since, several German prosecutors opened investigations for fraud, stock market manipulation or false advertising against employees of Volkswagen and its brands Audi and Porsche, but also Daimler and the supplier Bosch. Several senior executives of Volkswagen, including former boss Martin Winterkorn, are also the subject of various investigations for fraud, manipulation of stock market or misleading advertising.
In June, German justice placed in remand the boss of Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen. First incarceration of a very senior official in this sprawling survey.