Four former Volkswagen executives were sentenced to prison on Monday for their role in the diesel-emissions cheating scandal that has transformed Europe's car market. The verdict follows a three-year trial in Braunschweig, Germany, and is the latest chapter in a decade-long case that has transformed the continent's relationship with diesel technology
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Jens Hadler, responsible for the development of diesel engines, received the harshest sentence: four and a half years in prison, for organizing a fraud that the judges described as “particularly serious.” His team had installed software that allowed vehicles to recognize when they were undergoing emissions tests, temporarily increasing pollution controls during inspections, while under normal conditions they operated with higher pollution levels.
The consequences of the Dieselgate scandal have reached far beyond VW's corporate offices. Before 2015, diesel vehicles accounted for more than half of the European car market, promoted as environmentally friendly alternatives to gasoline. Today, that share has collapsed, to just 10% of new sales.
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The case has also accelerated Europe’s transition to electric mobility. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids now account for 25% of new sales, while Volkswagen itself has emerged as the leading electric vehicle manufacturer in Europe, selling three times as many electric cars as Tesla in April, according to the New York Times.
A related and particularly important point is how the Volkswagen scandal — also known as “Dieselgate” — acted as a catalyst for a change of direction in both the European automotive industry and the European Union’s environmental policies.
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After the fraud was exposed, European regulators strengthened controls and requirements for pollutant emissions, while stricter standards such as Euro 6 and later Euro 7. At the same time, funding for the development of electromobility and charging infrastructure was increased, as well as incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles.
Source: techcrunch
