Photo: Bosch
Volkswagen’s Dieselgate has opened up an older case in Germany, as prosecutors have begun examining engine software that was stolen from Bosch by a former employee in an attempt to discover more about the manufacturer’s cheating scheme.
At the moment, the Stuttgart’s Prosecutor’s Office representatives have confirmed that they are reviewing the data that was stolen at the time, but they are questioning if the files will be useful in the current context.
The data that is being studied by prosecutors was unlawfully taken by a Bosch employee who intended to sell it to other automakers and tuning companies, but was caught and convicted before succeeding.
The data obtained was software from 2009 to 2011, which corresponds to the time when Volkswagen had employed a “defeat device” for its TDI engines. While the information might have been handy before, there is a possibility that the files will only confirm what investigators have already found.
In other words, as the prosecutor has explained, the engine control software stolen from Bosch by one of its former employees would not bring any new information to the matter.
However, considering the latest accusations brought to Bosch in the United States of America, the investigation might determine whether the employees of the supplier were entirely familiar with the purpose of Volkswagen’s “defeat device.” An automotive executive has previously stated that Volkswagen’s cheating scheme was “an open secret” in the industry.
As Automotive News notes, Bosch officials have refused to comment on the matter, since the inquiry is still open. In the situation in the USA, the representatives of the German supplier have announced they will defend themselves against the allegations made by the owners of dieselgate-affected vehicles.
The latter group has filed a civil lawsuit against Bosch, which accuses the supplier of conspiring with Volkswagen for a decade to develop the emission test manipulation software.
If you need a reminder of what the "defeat device" did, it figured out when the car was being examined for its emissions test and activated a particular, ultra-lean, running mode, which was never replicated in normal driving scenarios.
The data that is being studied by prosecutors was unlawfully taken by a Bosch employee who intended to sell it to other automakers and tuning companies, but was caught and convicted before succeeding.
The data obtained was software from 2009 to 2011, which corresponds to the time when Volkswagen had employed a “defeat device” for its TDI engines. While the information might have been handy before, there is a possibility that the files will only confirm what investigators have already found.
In other words, as the prosecutor has explained, the engine control software stolen from Bosch by one of its former employees would not bring any new information to the matter.
However, considering the latest accusations brought to Bosch in the United States of America, the investigation might determine whether the employees of the supplier were entirely familiar with the purpose of Volkswagen’s “defeat device.” An automotive executive has previously stated that Volkswagen’s cheating scheme was “an open secret” in the industry.
As Automotive News notes, Bosch officials have refused to comment on the matter, since the inquiry is still open. In the situation in the USA, the representatives of the German supplier have announced they will defend themselves against the allegations made by the owners of dieselgate-affected vehicles.
The latter group has filed a civil lawsuit against Bosch, which accuses the supplier of conspiring with Volkswagen for a decade to develop the emission test manipulation software.
If you need a reminder of what the "defeat device" did, it figured out when the car was being examined for its emissions test and activated a particular, ultra-lean, running mode, which was never replicated in normal driving scenarios.
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