German Automakers 'Rearrange' Staff After Newest Diesel-related Scandal, Audi Employees See Homes Raided

by Matt Posky

Published: January 31st, 2018

german automakers rearrange staff after newest diesel related scandal audi

Daimler AG and BMW group suspended or moved several employees linked to a group that was commissioned for research that involved exposing monkeys and humans to potentially harmful gases. While the nature of these tests may not be extraordinary or illegal, the public response has been one of outrage.

Volkswagen suspended chief lobbyist Thomas Steg earlier this week for similar reasons, but the other automakers have now followed suit in the hopes of quelling public anger. The automakers haven’t kept silent on the matter, either. High-ranking executives have called the research repugnant, suggesting that the ethics employed by the European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT) were unacceptable.

BMW said it will remove its representative on the EUGT’s management board from his current functions, pending an investigation into EUGT’s research by the automaker’s legal team. Daimler claimed it would suspend at least one employee linked to the scandal while an externally hired law firm investigates the diesel-related testing. Neither company confirmed the names of the employees.

Meanwhile, German prosecutors raided the homes of several Audi staff members (both current and former) in connection to VW Group’s earlier emissions-cheating scandal. The “official visits” took place on Wednesday at roughly the same time the Stuttgart prosecutor’s office said two employees from Robert Bosch were under investigation on suspicion of fraud. That case ties back to another probe, which aims to uncover if Fiat Chrysler Automobiles used hidden software to allow excessive diesel emissions on 3.0-liter diesel versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500.

As a major auto parts supplier, Bosch has previously been accused of creating the software that allowed Volkswagen to skirt diesel emission testing and regulations. The company has supported the ongoing investigations, cooperating fully with the responsible authorities.

#AnimalTesting #Audi #AutomotiveIndustry #BMW #Bosch #Daimler #Diesel #DieselScandals #Diselgate #Emissions #Volkswagen #LawAndOrder #VWGroup #FiatChryslerAutomobiles #Fca #RamEcodiesel #LegalMatters #GermainRaids

Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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3 of 18 comments

TW5 on Feb 01, 2018

The only 100% guaranteed result of implementing new regulations: People will go to jail

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- JD-Shifty on Feb 03, 2018
  
  That's the most ridiculous thing I've seen typed today. "We had to cheat".derp. Diesel should be dead in 1st world countries except for heavy freight
  
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AtoB on Feb 04, 2018

"While the nature of these tests may not be extraordinary or illegal, the public response has been one of outrage." This reminds me a bit of the horrible Heath/Tulane Marijuana Study but without the outrage.

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