Munich/Berlin — The German government said it would test additional vehicles made by Daimler, a day after company executives were summoned to Berlin for an extraordinary meeting about the ongoing probe into the car maker’s diesel emissions.
The federal motor transport authority, or KBA, which is also looking into potential emissions violations at other car makers, will oversee the tests, transport ministry spokesperson Ingo Strater told reporters in Berlin on Friday. On Thursday, details emerged that two engines used in Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz cars were being scrutinised by Stuttgart prosecutors as part of an investigation they opened in March.
"The KBA is testing vehicles from Daimler, just as it has done with other manufacturers in the past," Strater said.
Germany’s scrutiny of Daimler deepens concern that defeat devices used to cheat on emissions tests were used more widely than initially thought. Volkswagen in September 2015 was the first manufacturer to be caught using the technology, in 11-million cars. At Daimler, German prosecutors are focused on two diesel motors built between 2008 and 2016, which are used across Mercedes’s product line-up, according to a person familiar with the investigation.
On Thursday, officials from the transport ministry met Daimler representatives, including the head of technology development, Ola Kaellenius, who reiterated that the company complied with existing rules, according to a ministry statement.
"For us, the discussion was a continuation of the constructive dialogue with the KBA," Daimler said in an e-mailed statement, declining to say what was discussed. "Of course we will continue to work constructively with the authorities."
As part of its efforts to clear up mounting questions about the reliability of emissions controls in diesel cars, the transport ministry is due to meet manufacturers on August 2, to discuss steps aimed at cleaning up older vehicles that use diesel technology, including software updates.
KBA has also looked into potential emissions violations at Audi, Fiat Chrysler and Opel.
Bloomberg
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