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BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union fined four major German automakers $1 billion on Thursday, saying they’re cooperating to limit the development and rollout of automobile emission control systems.
Daimler, BMW, VWAudi and Porsche have avoided competing over technology to limit pollution from petrol and diesel passenger cars. European Commission I said.
Daimler was not fined after making the cartel public. European Commission.
EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said that while companies have the technology to cut harmful emissions beyond legal limits, they are avoiding competition and thwarting consumers’ chances of buying less polluting cars.
“Factories are also competing with each other to reduce carbon emissions from cars,” said Vestager. “Manufacturers have deliberately avoided competing for better cleaning than EU emissions standards require. And they did so despite the relevant technology being available.” Vestager said it made their practice illegal.
The case was not directly linked to the “diesel door” scandal of the past decade. Volkswagen acknowledged that approximately 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide are equipped with deceptive software that reduces nitrogen oxide emissions when cars are placed on a test machine, but allows for higher emissions and better engine performance during normal driving.
Scandal cost Germany-based Wolfsburg Volkswagen It resulted in fines of 30 billion euros ($35 billion) and civilian settlements and recalls of millions of vehicles.
it was the first time European Commission It imposed collusion penalties that hindered the use of technical improvements, rather than the more traditional practice of price fixing.
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