It is also good news and a bad news for BMW: The Munich have to pay because of a software glitch in the emission control of nearly 8000 cars 8.5 million euros penalty. However, as the public prosecutor informed Munich, BMW has not violated any laws and manipulated exhaust emissions for better readings on the test bench. “The charge of fraud has not been confirmed in this respect.”
The investigation revealed that the engine controls of the affected vehicles of the BMW M550d xDrive and 750d xDrive models had been loaded with data for the engine control of other BMW vehicles. As a result, they emitted too much nitric oxide on the road as well as on the test bench. BMW had failed to prevent this error by an appropriate quality assurance, said the prosecutor. Therefore, she has imposed a fine for negligent breach of supervision.
However, the investigation revealed “neither evidence that the model series actually test stand-related defeat devices would be installed, nor that employees of BMW AG acted deliberately.” In addition, BMW had fully cooperated in the investigation and improved its quality assurance accordingly.
A BMW spokesman said the company accepted the fine. The installation of the wrong software component was a technical mistake. The affected cars had been called last year for update in the workshop.