Bosch boss Volkmar Denner under pressure
Volkswagen is considering legal action against its supplier Bosch.
DüsseldorfDer Volkswagen diesel scandal takes a surprising turn, The Wolfsburg car manufacturer not only sued former employees for damages because of their alleged involvement in the emissions affair. As reported on Friday from corporate circles, checks Volkswagen also claims for damages against a supplier, with the VW is extremely closely intertwined: against the Stuttgart Bosch Group.
The Wolfsburg car manufacturer sees a co-responsibility of the Stuttgart supplier, so claims for damages were well justified, it said in the circles.
Bosch had supplied the original version of the software that Volkswagen engineers had later used to manipulate diesel engines. Bosch filed for class action lawsuits in the United StatesTo pay damages in the hundreds of millions to affected US customers.
Bosch also plays a central role in the investigations of German prosecutors. About the new alleged claims of Volkswagen against Bosch had first reported the “mirror”.
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Volkswagen did not want to comment on possible claims against Bosch. “We point out that we do not comment on questions that could affect any internal confidential operations,” said a Wolfsburger Group spokesman on request. Also, the Stuttgart auto parts supplier did not comment on details.
“Bosch and Volkswagen are linked by a decades-long manufacturer-supplier relationship. We can not imagine such a lawsuit against Bosch, “said a Bosch spokesman. The Stuttgart-based group is one of the most important suppliers for Volkswagen. Both companies are connected by billions in sales. When VW opens a new plant, a new Bosch branch is usually created at the same time.
According to “Spiegel” Volkswagen had already prepared a lawsuit against Bosch at the end of last year. The car company had therefore anticipate a possible prescription. In the meantime, the two companies had agreed on a deadline by the end of March, until then the parties to the conflict wanted to decide what to do next.
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Allegedly, it is still unclear what specific sum Volkswagen could demand from Bosch. The amount claimed may even reach the billion mark. From VW circles it was said that the Wolfsburg-based company also had to continue to observe what additional claims for damages would come to Volkswagen.
Bosch could then be involved accordingly. Open are, for example, the complaints of investors and affected motorists from Germanywhose claims for damages could exceed the limit of ten billion euros.
The fact that compensation claims are now also being examined against the supplier Bosch, who is a friend of his own, is seen as a normal legal procedure in Wolfsburger Group circles. As a stock corporation, Volkswagen is obliged vis-à-vis its shareholders to examine such potential claims for damages in all directions.
These included the suppliers, as well as their own former technicians, who had made the diesel manipulations possible. Volkswagen does not want to distract from its own responsibility, the Wolfsburg company sees itself as the cause of diesel manipulation in the US.
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In business circles it was not ruled out that the VW group could also make claims against other suppliers. The company IAV plays an important role in the diesel manipulation. The supplier from Berlin is an important software supplier against which the US judiciary has also investigated the involvement in the diesel affair.
At the same time, the VW Group still has a significant stake in IAV and holds 50 percent. Other software suppliers in the manipulated diesel vehicles were also Continental and Delphi.
A possible compensation from Bosch could at least relieve the Wolfsburg car company a bit. So far, Volkswagen had to set aside provisions of around 28 billion euros to deal with the diesel affair that had become known in the late summer of 2015.
Even in Wolfsburg, there is little doubt that more billions will be added. Frank Schwope, automotive analyst at the NordLB in Hannover, expects further charges between 10 and 20 billion euros.
Bosch has played a special role in the diesel scandal. All major auto companies have been searched by prosecutors, only Bosch not. There is one reason for this: Bosch cooperated with the investigating authorities earlier and obviously more comprehensively and credibly, according to judges. And not exactly to the liking of the affected automakers.
Now the return coach threatens to come from Wolfsburg. And that probably not completely unjustified. “Bosch is already deeply involved in the scandal with the delivery and programming of the software. One must already ask why functions were on the software, which not only made the exhaust gas manipulation possible, but also made it easy, “says car professor Ferdinand Dudenhöffer.
He refers to the settlement payments that Bosch had to make in the US. However, Bosch emphasizes again and again that payments in the USA totaling more than 400 million euros were not an admission of guilt, but the company wanted to avoid lengthy and costly procedures.
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The fact remains that Bosch had always acted and programmed on behalf of the customer. That, in turn, will make it difficult for customers to claim damages, as the industry says. The criminal law page looks different: Here, the Stuttgart prosecutor investigates individual Bosch employees for aiding and abetting.
In addition, the prosecutors have already filed a fine in December against the Robert Bosch GmbH and thus initiated against the company itself. “The procedure is in the context of the investigation against employees of Robert Bosch GmbH in connection with the use of allegedly manipulated software in ECUs of diesel vehicles,” confirmed a Bosch spokesman.
For comparable fine proceedings Volkswagen had a billion and Audi 800 million euros have to pay. Accordingly, should probably come to Bosch, a medium three-digit million amount. As the last company is likely to threaten even the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer Porsche such a “profit levy” by the public prosecutor’s office under the Administrative Offenses Act.
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Bosch had made provisions of more than € 1.2 billion for legal risks. CEO Volkmar Denner had repeatedly announced a thorough review of the diesel affair. So far, no personal consequences for Bosch employees have become known. Volkswagen has so far terminated a total of six employees because of their alleged involvement in the affair.
The fact that Volkswagen is now investigating claims for damages against Bosch could have strategic reasons for Stefan Bratzel of the Center of Automotive Management (CAM): “Volkswagen certainly set up a threat to Bosch in order to achieve something out of court. Both companies may not be well advised to clarify their divergent views in court. That could be very uncomfortable for both sides. “
