By Aaron Miller-
A landmark legal battle commenced at the High Court on Monday, as five major car manufacturers are accused of cheating on emissions tests. This trial marks a significant development in the ongoing Dieselgate Emissions Claims scandal, potentially affecting million vehicle owners in what lawyers describe as the largest class action in English and Welsh legal history.
Five major car manufacturers are accused of cheating on emissions tests. Pic: Getty Images
The companies facing the allegations are Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot/Citroën, Renault, and Nissan, all of whom firmly deny the accusations made by car owners. Lawyers claim the manufacturers used sophisticated software to deliberately reduce the emission of harmful gases only under laboratory test conditions.
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This deceit, they argue, led to dangerous pollution levels when the cars drove on public roads. These five carmakers are serving as the lead defendants, chosen by the court to be tried first. Depending on the outcome, nine other manufacturers, including Opel, BMW, and Jaguar Land Rover, could face similar claims.
The current legal action builds upon the original Dieselgate scandal, when the US Environmental Protection Agency accused Volkswagen (VW) of installing software designed to lower nitrogen oxide readings. Known as ‘defeat devices’, the High Court ruled in that Volkswagen had, in fact, used the illegal software, putting the company in breach of European Union emission requirements. Subsequently, VW settled a separate class action, paying million to UK drivers, although the company has paid out over billion globally since the controversy began.
Beginning this week, the High Court will determine whether systems installed in the diesel vehicles by the five carmakers were similarly designed to bypass clean air regulations. Plaintiffs argue that the alleged defeat devices caused the engine to run at a lower power level when identifying a test scenario, thereby recording lower nitrogen oxide levels. Martyn Day of Leigh Day, one of law firms representing drivers, stated, “
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A decade after the Dieselgate Emissions Claims scandal first came to light, million UK motorists now get their chance to establish at trial whether their vehicles contained technology designed to cheat emissions tests.” He added that a finding against the car firms would demonstrate “one of the most egregious breaches of corporate trust in modern times.”
The ‘dieselgate’ scandal dates back to September 2015, when Volkswagen was accused of installing ‘defeat devices’ on diesel cars. Pic: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Motorists affected by this litigation purchased, leased, or otherwise acquired a diesel vehicle made by one of the implicated companies, with most residing in England and Wales. Claimants argue they were deceived about the environmental impacts of their vehicles, and that the continued presence of these cars on roads emits dangerous pollution, potentially putting the health of millions at risk.
Mercedes owner Adam Kamenetzky powerfully commented that if these allegations are true, “the regulators, the politicians and the public have been cheated by manufacturers.” The court does not expect a final judgment until Summer .
If the claimants prevail and the court rules against the carmakers, a second trial to determine compensation payments related to these Dieselgate Emissions Claims will likely begin in Autumn . The defendant companies involved in the case currently maintain their absolute denial of all the claims.
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