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Lawyers Claim Bosch Asked VW For Legal Protection Over Defeat Device

Bosch, the German supplier of automotive components, has once again appeared in the lawsuit filed by American owners of Dieselgate-affected vehicles sold by the Volkswagen Group in the country.
Animation of ignition in diesel engine with Bosch glow plugs 7 photos
Photo: Bosch
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This time, the lawyers representing the plaintiffs say that Bosch was more than aware of the fact that Volkswagen had employed a “defeat device,” and that the supplier even requested indemnification.

The latter term means “to provide security for financial reimbursement to an individual in case of a specified loss incurred by the person,” according to a legal dictionary.

In other words, the plaintiffs say that Bosch and Volkswagen talked about the defeat device in 2008, and that Volkswagen refused to provide legal protection to Bosch for its use of the device in the United States of America.

As Bloomberg notes, the claimants filed a revised version of their petition to a San Francisco federal court, which had no blacked-out portions, thus providing a more clear view of the accusations brought against Bosch.

The same legal team discovered that Bosch and Volkswagen had corresponded regarding the use of the “defeat device,” which was stored in the ECUs of affected cars under the term of “akustikfunktion,” which meant “acoustic function,” but was just a cover for what Volkswagen referred to as the former name.

The lawyers that represent American customers of Volkswagen TDI-engined vehicles that feature devices that are designed to trick emissions tests want Bosch to be a defendant in the case because of this discovery. While Volkswagen has set aside funds to compensate owners affected by its emissions scandal, Bosch has not made such reserves.

In response to the allegations, Bosch representatives previously stated that the claim against them was “wild and unfounded.” The new information discovered brought a new press inquiry from Bloomberg, which was replied with no comment from Bosch representatives.

This time, the spokesperson of the German automotive supplier cited the ongoing legal process as the reason that makes the corporation refrain from comments, which is an understandable motive.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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