German Audi and VW Offices Raided in Ongoing Diesel Emissions Investigation

by Matt Posky

Published: March 15th, 2017

german audi and vw offices raided in ongoing diesel emissions investigation

As Volkswagen Group’s emission scandal settles down in the United States, things in Europe remain unresolved. German police raided the headquarters of Volkswagen and Audi as part of the never-ending investigations into the company’s diesel cheating.

The German blitz was carefully orchestrated as investigators simultaneously hit Audi’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, the corporate offices at its Neckarsulm plant, and VW’s headquarters in Wolfsburg. Separate spokesmen from VW and Audi confirmed the raids, both adding they’re cooperating with authorities.

It’s assumed officials were seeking materials to indict high-ranking executives. Munich prosecutors explained their impromptu visits were part of an ongoing investigation over the sale of 80,000 Audi diesels in the United States between 2009 and 2015 — in which Audi already admitted installing defeat devices. The European raids were not linked to vehicles sold within Germany.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported authorities arrived in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm at around 7 a.m. in midst of Audi’s preparations for its annual earnings press conference. While offices and private apartments were searched, an Audi spokesman was careful to point out the residence of CEO Rupert Stadler was not subject to the investigation.

While VW Group was forced to pay billions in damages and penalties in the United States, employees were largely spared any criminal prosecution. The public prosecutor’s office in Braunschweig seems interested in changing that, focusing their investigation specifically on finding the people responsible for the defeat devices and uncovering if Audi knowingly destroyed evidence after coming under legal scrutiny.

“With these search orders we aim to clarify in particular who was involved in deploying the technology concerned and in the provision of false information to third parties,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.

Of course, Audi is cleaning house as well. Last month, the company said that it had fired four engineers from its diesel division due to a “gross breach of duty.” One of those employees had accused the CEO of being involved in the deception.

“The path towards clearing up [the emissions scandal] is far from over,” Stadler said at Wednesday’s earnings conference. “We will keep at it until this work is done.” The company then announced a 37-percent loss in operating profit to 3.1 billion euros for 2016, reducing its return on sales to 5.1 percent from 8.3 percent a year earlier.

#Audi #DieselEmissionsScandal #Dieselgate #Germany #LawAndOrder #PoliceAction #TheBlitz #VolkswagenGroup #VW

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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Sonic EJ on Mar 15, 2017

Well, they've only had since about May of 2014 to get ready for this raid. That's quite a head start for ze liars!

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SCE to AUX on Mar 15, 2017

I thought this was already done some time ago. What can another raid turn up that the prior one didn't? Also, what's in the 100 TB of data that was secured in the first raid?

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