Diesel : Renault suspected of having rigged its engines – The Parisian

Almost a year and a half after the beginning of the scandal Volkswagen, three judges will investigate the first French manufacturer to find out if it has reduced the emissions of its diesel cars.

Vers a Renaultgate ? Friday, the prosecutor’s office in Paris has opened a judicial inquiry to investigate a possible cheating of the French car manufacturer to circumvent the systems of control of polluting emissions of its cars. According to Agence France-Presse, which reveals the information, three investigating judges have been seized. They will need to determine whether there has been a “deception on essential qualities, and the controls carried out” with the aggravating circumstance that ” the facts have had the consequences of making the dangerous goods for the health of man or animal.”

This new stage in court comes nearly a year and a half after the beginning of the dieselgate in the United States. In September 2015, the us agency for environmental protection (EPA) reveals that Volkswagen has used since 2006 a software truqueur in its cars to get around the tests of pollution control.

a Few weeks later, the minister of the Environment, Ségolène Royal, installs a commission of experts responsible to carry out tests of pollution on a hundred vehicles from 11 manufacturers circulating in France. The results reveal that Renault is among the bad students with overruns very important standards for CO2 and oxides of nitrogen. At the same time, the ministry of Economy captures the Directorate-general for competition, consumption and repression of fraud (DGCCRF). In January, she perquisitionne sites of Renault in France, including Lardy (Essonne), in which are implanted two services particularly interesting for the investigation. One of the homologation cars, and the one in charge of the electronics of the engine. Each time, computers are seized.

” The opening of judicial information is not really a surprise, writes Franck August, steward central CFDT. Since the DGCCRF has forwarded the results of its investigation to the justice at the beginning of November, two hypotheses were possible : the classification of the case or open an investigation. But, obviously, it’s not concerned about the direction. “Actually, in a press release, it ensures that” Renault complies with the French legislation and european “while ensuring that” the Renault vehicles are not equipped with software of fraud to the devices for pollution control “.

” On this point, I want to believe them, says an internal source. Legally, they appear in the nails. On the other hand, morally, it is more questionable. Does this make a motor to pass the certification test, but in actual condition it pollutes, it is acceptable ? The justice will decide. “

in The United States, Volkswagen has recognized the fraud and agreed to pay 22 billion euros to avoid prosecution. In France, the deception is punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of 300 000 €, which can reach 10 % of turnover as a function of the benefit derived from the fraud. On Friday, the Renault share has lost 2,89 % 83,76 €.