Fixing Diesel Cars In Germany: Swiss to demand equal treatment
If public pressure forces German carmakers to take the more costly step of replacing hardware on affected cars
Parking lot. SOURCE: REUTERS
ZURICH:
Switzerland will demand that German automakers treat Swiss customers the same as German buyers of diesel cars being fixed to cut pollution, the head of the Swiss road transport agency said. The comments, by Juerg Roetlisberger, add pressure on carmakers like Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler, Audi and Porsche, which this week agreed to overhaul engine software on 5.3 million diesel cars and try to repair the sector’s battered reputation. Politicians in Germany stopped short of demanding costly mechanical modifications to engine and exhaust systems. Roetlisberger said Swiss authorities would monitor the situation to see what the proposed fixes bring. If public pressure forces German carmakers to take the more costly step of replacing hardware on affected cars, then Switzerland will demand the same, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2017.
Switzerland will demand that German automakers treat Swiss customers the same as German buyers of diesel cars being fixed to cut pollution, the head of the Swiss road transport agency said. The comments, by Juerg Roetlisberger, add pressure on carmakers like Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler, Audi and Porsche, which this week agreed to overhaul engine software on 5.3 million diesel cars and try to repair the sector’s battered reputation. Politicians in Germany stopped short of demanding costly mechanical modifications to engine and exhaust systems. Roetlisberger said Swiss authorities would monitor the situation to see what the proposed fixes bring. If public pressure forces German carmakers to take the more costly step of replacing hardware on affected cars, then Switzerland will demand the same, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2017.