Automakers Face New Legal Challenge in ‘Dieselgate‘ Emissions scandal
BRUSSELS โ – โA courtโข case โฃinvolving five automakers has begun in Brussels, reigniting legal battles โstemming from the “Dieselgate” emissions scandal. The โsuit allegesโฃ that โคtheโค companiesโฃ deliberately designed systems to circumvent air purity laws,โข possibly impacting millions of โcar owners across Europe.
The core of the case โcenters on accusations โคthat the automakers’ diesel vehicles โwere equipped with software capable โof recognizing when undergoingโข emissions testing. During testing, the engines operated โat reduced power, resulting in artificially lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions readings than those achieved duringโข real-world driving conditions. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs will argue that car owners were misled about the environmental performanceโข ofโค their vehicles and that thes carsโ continueโข to release harmful pollutants.
The original “Dieselgate” โscandal erupted in 2015 when it was revealedโข that โVolkswagen had installedโข defeatโ devices in it’s โdiesel vehicles to cheat onโข emissions tests. In 2020, a British court โruledโค Volkswagen had violatedโ European Union rules, leading to a ยฃ193 million (approximately CZK 5.4 โฃbillion) settlement paid โto roughly 91,000 carโ owners โฃin โthe UK.โฃ globally,volkswagen has already paid over 32 billion euros (CZK 778.6 billion) in fines and settlements,primarily in the โฃUnited States.
A judgment inโ the current case is not โฃexpected โขbefore the summer of 2025. Should the court rule against the automakers, a separate process to โdetermine the amount of compensation owed to affected vehicle ownersโข will commence in autumn 2026.