Witness unpacks: Are there many accomplices in VW affair? – N-tv.de NEWS

 Economy
 

 Saturday, January 23 2016

 
 
 

 
 From the exhaust manipulation of VW vehicles evidently significantly more executives have known than previously known. A witness says the prosecutors: There was a “vow of silence.”
 

 
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From the exhaust manipulations at Volkswagen reportedly numerous managers and the Wolfsburg Group employees have known. Internal surveys at VW had shown that almost all with exhaust problems involved executives in the engine development inaugurated or were even involved, reported among other things, the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.

A key witness against the self shall determine, have also declared that he himself had made a senior manager outside the department on the manipulations attention, it said. This did not react. A VW spokesman said, if it were speculation, to which the company is not external. Reference was also made to the ongoing investigations. Officially intends to present internal investigation results at the shareholders’ meeting in April VW.

In the department concerned it was no secret that VW is the only way the pollutant limits have seemingly at the emission tests by the authorities in the US and Europe meet can, it was said. Compared to other departments within the Group, the parties have agreed on a “vow of silence”. The manipulation had started in November of 2006. According to the findings is then said to have discussed in the engine development the use of fraud software, a larger group of employees.

The reports are based on the statements of a VW employee who against investigators of Braunschweig prosecutor is said to have testified today. He was even involved in manipulation.

Several employees on leave

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As already known, the starting point of the scandal a strategic large-scale diesel offensive of VW in the US was in 2005 and 2006. VW then had massive sales problems in the US. VW wanted to cut out the hybrid technology of archrival Toyota with a “Clean Diesel”. This technique should be clean, but not too expensive. But this could only be achieved by means of the manipulation software.

The VW-tip had always insisted that the manipulations in the engine control only a small group was aware of employees, but not the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board. VW had leave in response to the exhaust gas scandal several employees.

  Source: n-tv.de
 

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