Diesel case: KBA encourages the BMW, Daimler and VW exchange bonuses

For a long time, the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) did not seem particularly comfortable in the exhaust scandal. It is only recently that the emissions scandal against automakers has taken a number of coercive measures and that its role as the controlling body of the federal Department of Transport was apparently just. Now, however, a letter from the authority further compromises its credibility.

In November, the KBA sent about 1.5 million letters to owners of diesel vehicles that did not comply with the latest emissions standard. The letter informs about the manufacturers' exchange premiums and the possibility of replacing the old diesel with a new one. All motorists whose cars are registered in a region in which an annual average of nitrogen oxide of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air is exceeded are recorded. KBA sees this letter as part of the information campaign to implement the measures adopted at the diesel summit.

The information is one thing, advertising the other. In the letter to KBA, fleet renewal is mentioned as an important means of bringing more vehicles with a modern emission control system into circulation and thus improving the quality of the fleet. ;air. Those who use the exchange bonus "would contribute effectively and significantly to the reduction of vehicle emissions and the improvement of air quality in our cities," the letter says.

This is not enough. In addition, the direct lines and Internet presence of three manufacturers are reported – by BMW, Daimler and VW. Given the phone numbers and Internet addresses of the three major manufacturers, these directly lead to companies' diesel trading programs. After all, the holder is always informed that he is free to "inform other manufacturers of the ongoing exchange actions".

Jürgen Resch, managing director of Deutsche Umwelthilfe, said: "This is an incredible process and it is expected that the federal government will work for the good of citizens and not even represent the interests of car manufacturers.

Manufacturers contradict each other

Does the KBA provide badistance to stimulate demand for foreign exchange premiums? At the request of the manufacturers, you stay covered. At Daimler, it simply means that the group is not the sender of this letter and so you must contact KBA for any questions.

Volkswagen indicates that the KBA has informed in advance the builders that they would send such a letter. But "we were not informed of the content, the time, or the circle of recipients of the letter of writing," says VW. The letter was therefore based on the KBA's sole decision, and the content had "no influence".

This seems a little different at BMW, where a spokesman confirmed that he had already discussed such a letter at the diesel summit in early October and decided to send it. "We welcome this approach as it can inform as many authorized owners as possible," said a spokesman for BMW. "Only the KBA has full access to the data of the owner of the used vehicles."

The Renault exchange bonus is not mentioned

A possible technical rearrangement – as explicitly demanded by government parties at the diesel summit – is only marginally emphasized. "The modernization measure of the computer hardware is still under development and will be available in 2019."

In addition, the KBA letter concerns only the three main German manufacturers. The Federal Ministry of Transport, to which KBA is subordinated, claims that these manufacturers have been appointed "for which there are binding commitments on premiums and discounts". For example, the French manufacturer Renault has reacted directly to the results of the diesel summit by offering private owners of old diesel cars to meet the emission standards Euro 1 to 5 when buying a new car until 10,000 euros.

Asked about the missing mention in the letter from the KBA, Renault replied that we did not know why we did not mention it. Regarding the letter, Renault had received "no information from the KBA or the Ministry". She was simply "informed of the letter" by the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.