High court rejects most of ‘dieselgate’ claims brought by 1.6m UK car owners
The UK High Court has ruled in favor of major car manufacturers in a massive 'dieselgate' class-action lawsuit. The judge determined that not all emissions-control strategies qualify as illegal 'defeat devices', though some specific cases remain under scrutiny.
Why it matters
The ruling significantly limits the legal liability of automotive companies regarding emissions software and sets a precedent for future environmental litigation.
The high court judge ruled that ‘not every calibration or emissions-control strategy amounts to a defeat device’. The high court judge ruled that ‘not every calibration or emissions-control strategy amounts to a defeat device’. Automotive industry High court rejects most of ‘dieselgate’ claims brought by 1.6m UK car owners Carmakers welcome ruling against suit claiming manufacturers including Nissan, Ford and Peugeot fitted devices to defeat emission tests
Prefer the Guardian on Google Car manufacturers have welcomed a high court verdict that rejected most of the allegations in a “dieselgate” claim brought on behalf of 1.6 million UK owners of polluting cars.
In her judgment, Lady Justice Cockerill said that “in the majority of instances, the court found that the relevant strategy did not constitute a prohibited defeat device” – software that enables the engine to behave differently in tests.
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