Volkswagen will receive €288 million (£248m) in compensation payments after reaching a settlement with four former executives, including ex-CEO Martin Winterkorn and former Audi boss Rupert Stadler, over the diesel emissions scandal, reports Autocar.
The settlement is a major step in the German firm’s attempt to move on from the Dieselgate scandal, in which it admitted using illegal software to rig US diesel emissions tests and has so far paid out more than £27.5 billion in fines, vehicle rectification and legal costs related to the scandal but still face billions in shareholder claims for investment losses.
Renault is preparing to fight a French court claim that it lied about diesel emissions after investigations started in 2017.
The French car maker has lodged £17.2m in bail monies and provided a bank guarantee of £52M as the case progresses and said in a statement that denied offences and it had always complied with type-approval legislation. Peugeot which became part of Stellantis when PSA Group merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles early this year, must pay €10 million ($12 million) bail and provide a €30 million-euro bank guarantee, according to a Stellantis statement. It will also spread to Citroen and Fiat Chrysler over coming days and Porsche is being probed by German authorities over fuel consumption data.
G7 leaders meeting in Cornwall are preparing to sign a unilateral agreement on slashing petrol and diesel powered vehicles within this decade.
This acceleration of the green motoring agenda and wider takeup of electric cars is seen as vital for lowering emissions and global warming.
Ford has made its smartphone-connected heightened security system, SecuriAlert formerly known as Guard Mode, available to car owners for the first time.
Once activated, SecuriAlert sends a notification to the vehicle owner’s smartphone if it identifies any vehicle activity, including attempts to open doors or gain access with a key, providing peace of mind to customers when their cars are out of sight – or out of earshot.
