It’s four years since the US Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation under the Clean Air Act to Volkswagen. The move not only wiped billions off the market value of the German auto group, but it also prompted government agencies around the world to launch parallel investigations. Other automakers were caught up in the wake of scandal and Volkswagen was eventually slapped with a $2.8bn (£2.24bn) criminal fine by a US federal judge.
It didn’t end there. German prosecutors have also fined Daimler AG (DAI:Xetra) €870m for "negligent violation" following an investigation into the sale of rigged diesel models. Investigators found that the owner of the iconic Mercedes-Benz marque had sold around 684,000 vehicles that didn’t comply with emission standards governing nitrogen oxide pollution. When the manipulation came to light, it resulted in a worldwide recall of vehicles, but the eventual cost to Daimler is a matter for conjecture given that an investigation by the US Department of Justice and a class action lawsuit in New Jersey are still ongoing.