Germany’s transport minister says the government has ordered Daimler to immediately recall 238,000 vehicles. These cars used software that switched off emissions controls under certain conditions.
German weekly Bild am Sonntag reported that up to 1 million cars carried software designed to cheat emissions tests on diesel vehicles. Car makers often use software to balance exhaust filtering and engine performance. Regulators classify the device as illegal if it deactivates exhaust filtering too early or without justification.
Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer summoned Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche after the country’s KBA Motor Vehicle Authority found “inadmissible defeat devices” in Mercedes-Benz engines. Daimler continues to dispute that the devices were illegal.
Daimler declined to comment on the 1 million vehicles figure. However, the company said it is cooperating fully and transparently with the KBA and Germany’s Transport Ministry.
Like other carmakers, Daimler uses urea nitrate liquids to neutralize nitrogen oxide emissions in exhaust fumes. Germany’s road vehicle authority, the KBA, raised concerns about the emission control features. Officials suspect the systems let vehicles emit excess pollution without detection.
The emissions scandal has loomed over the German auto industry since September 2015. At that time, Volkswagen admitted to using software that detected when a diesel vehicle was being tested and temporarily lowered toxic emissions to meet U.S. regulations.
The “Dieselgate” scandal has already cost VW about $30 billion in fines and related expenses. It also involved its subsidiaries Audi and Porsche.
The ripple effects of these scandals continue to shape public debate and policy decisions. Analysts believe future regulations will tighten further, and automakers may need to invest even more heavily in clean technologies to restore their credibility. For consumers, these developments serve as a reminder of how environmental standards and corporate responsibility are now central to the future of the global car market.