BMW : searches in a fraud investigation on diesel vehicles

Photo AFP

AFP

Tuesday, march 20, 2018 12:07

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Tuesday, march 20, 2018 12:07

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The German car manufacturer BMW was the subject Tuesday of several searches conducted by the public prosecutor of Munich, who is suspected of a manipulation on the emissions of thousands of diesel vehicles, which he denies.

Following a preliminary investigation against X, open the February 27 because of suspicion of fraud on approximately 11,400 vehicles, “a search was conducted (Tuesday) at the headquarters of BMW in Munich and to another location in Austria,” announced the prosecutor of Munich in a press release.

The investigators intend to verify the installation by the premium brand of software used to manipulate the pollutant emissions of diesel engines of model series 5 and 7 , after having been notified in late February by the German authority in the sector KBA.

BMW has confirmed on Tuesday the visit of the investigators to its headquarters in connection with a fraud at the gas pollutants for certain versions of the model 750d and M550d.

The group remains committed to its communication dating from February 23, when he was allowed to have “by mistake”, and equipped thousands of diesel vehicles with a software measuring the exhaust gas that did not conform to these models, and negates any fraudulent intent.

BMW will recall the vehicles concerned, which are in large part in Germany, said a spokesman.

The group led by Harald Krüger told to take the matter “very seriously” and intends to “cooperate fully” with the German authorities competent in the matter, according to a press release.

BMW is conducting its own internal investigation and said put the preliminary results at the disposal of justice.

In 2015, has been discovered a vast match-fixing Volkswagen to make it appear less polluting than they were, the eleven million diesel vehicles.

Since then, several manufacturers are believed to have played with the rules for that pollutant emissions are not reduced continuously.