Major car firms found not to have installed emissions-cheating devices

Major car firms found not to have installed emissions-cheating devicesImage source, Getty ImagesByMarc AshdownBusiness correspondentPublished2 minutes agoVehicles from a host of major car manufacturers did not contain devices alleged to have allowed them to cheat on emissions tests, a judge at the High Court has ruled.More than a dozen manufacturers are being sued by around 1.6 million motorists over claims that several diesel vehicles made from 2009 onwards contained "prohibited defeat devices" (PDDs).The cases involved 20 "sample vehicles" made by five manufacturers: Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Nissan, Ford, and Peugeot and CitroenThe 880,000 motorists claimed they had been misled about emissions tests.The ten-week trial concluded in March and, in a 369-page ruling handed down today, Lady Justice Cockerill said most of the strategies did not constitute PDDs, with the exception of one in Mercedes cars that was removed in 2015, and another used in some Peugeot-Citroen vehicles.The judgement said: "The Court rejected most of the principal allegations advanced against the manufacturers whose vehicles were examined at trial."It added: "In the majority of instances, the Court found that the relevant strategy did not constitute a prohibited defeat device."Mercedes welcomed the ruling but said it disagreed with the court judgement that one of its four sample vehicles was not compliant prior to the software update.The German carmaker said: "In our view, the emission control software functionalities are justifiable on both technical and legal grounds. We are actively considering all of our available options, including a potential appeal."Peugeot-Citroën has yet to comment.Those taking legal action either bought, leased or otherwise acquired a diesel vehicle made by one of the companies, with most living in England and Wales.Barristers for the motorists told the trial the devices installed in the cars allowed the vehicles to dete...