UK Lawsuits Accuse Carmakers of Cheating Emissions Tests with 'Defeat Devices'

Allegations of Emissions Test Cheating

• ⚖️ Lawyers representing 1.6 million claimants have accused major car manufacturers of manipulating diesel emissions tests at the start of a significant London trial.
• 🚗 Owners of diesel vehicles from brands including Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Nissan, Renault, Peugeot, and Citroen, manufactured between 2012 and 2017, allege that companies cheated emissions tests.

Accusations of 'Defeat Devices'

• ⚙️ The accused manufacturers are alleged to have used unlawful 'defeat devices' that detected when vehicles were undergoing testing.
• 📈 These devices allegedly ensured nitrogen oxide emissions remained within legal limits during tests, but claimants argue real-world emissions were up to 12 times higher.
• 🌍 Claimants' lawyers contend that these higher emissions caused environmental harm and entitle consumers to compensation.

Carmakers' Defense and Dieselgate Comparison

• ❓ The car manufacturers have dismissed the claims as fundamentally flawed, arguing that emissions control systems are calibrated to function differently under specific conditions.
• 🚫 They reject any parallels to the 2015 'dieselgate' scandal, where Volkswagen admitted to using defeat devices, a scandal that cost the German automaker billions.
• 📅 The trial is scheduled to conclude next year.