SCHLESWIG (dpa-AFX) - Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has once again been successful with a lawsuit against the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) in the matter of diesel defeat devices at the Schleswig Administrative Court. DUH wanted the KBA to revoke so-called approval notices. In the past, it used these to approve a software update as sufficient rectification in connection with unlawful defeat devices in certain diesel engines. The court ruled in favor of the environmental association.

Among other things, the chamber considers so-called thermal windows to be inadmissible defeat devices that the KBA should not have approved. The defendants were the car manufacturers Volkswagen, Audi and Seat, which belong to the Volkswagen Group (Ref. 3 A 332/20). Affected are 62 older models of various brands of the Volkswagen Group.

Almost a year ago, the same chamber of the court had already decided a similar case and essentially ruled in favor of the DUH. At that time, it concerned older models of the VW Golf with the same engine type. (Ref. 3 A 113/18). This ruling is not yet legally binding. The KBA and VW have lodged an appeal with the Higher Administrative Court in Schleswig. They consider the decision of the Schleswig Administrative Court to be incorrect for numerous factual and legal reasons. VW announced that it would also appeal against the new ruling. The company emphasized that there was neither a threat of official shutdowns nor would hardware retrofits be necessary./gyd/DP/tih