Volkswagen's turn.
The German manufacturer announced Wednesday, June 9 its indictment in France in the scandal of fraud in pollution controls known as "
dieselgate
".
According to a source close to the file, this indictment dated May 6, is on the grounds of "
deception
".
The day before, Renault also announced its indictment in this case in France.
Back in dates on an unprecedented scandal in the history of the automobile, born in Germany almost fifteen years ago.
Read also: Volkswagen entangled in Dieselgate in France
Software to bypass pollution tests
2006: Volkswagen launches its engine project adapted to American antipollution standards, which are stricter than in Europe.
2007: The project is a failure.
"
Employees
" are developing software to bypass pollution tests, according to Volkswagen's later statements to the US court.
2014: an American study measures emission levels that are sometimes 40 times higher than the authorized levels.
The authorities then asked Volkswagen for explanations, which did not admit fraud.
Volkswagen in turmoil
September 18, 2015: The US Environment Agency (EPA) accuses Volkswagen of violating emission regulations using software capable of cheating controls on nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and triggers the "
dieselgate
".
In the days that followed, Volkswagen's share price plunged by 20%.
September 22 and 23: the manufacturer admits having equipped 11 million of its vehicles in the world with fraudulent software.
His boss Martin Winterkorn resigns and German justice opens a criminal investigation.
October 15: The German auto agency orders Volkswagen to recall 2.4 million cars.
The group is extending the recall to all 8.5 million affected vehicles in Europe.
Read also: Automotive: in Germany, support for manufacturers is no longer unanimous
Billions of compensation and first convictions
June 28, 2016: Volkswagen agrees to pay $ 14.7 billion to compensate its American customers.
The group ended the year with an annual loss: a first for twenty years.
July 29, 2016: a commission of French experts having tested 85 diesel vehicles detects "
anomalies
" in a third of cases, and does not exclude the use by other manufacturers of faking software.
January 11, 2017: Volkswagen pleads guilty in the United States to fraud and obstruction of justice.
February 1: German supplier Bosch pays more than $ 300 million in damages to the United States but does not admit his guilt.
August 25 and December 6, 2017: Two ex-Volkswagen employees are sentenced to prison terms in the United States.
To read also: Dieselgate: Renault and PSA soon fixed
Volkswagen and the others
February 23, 2018: BMW admits having "
by mistake
" equipped diesel vehicles with non-compliant software.
The manufacturer will pay a fine of 8.5 million euros but the criminal investigation for "
fraud
" is closed.
February 23, 2018: Volkswagen announces that it returned to record profits in 2017.
May 3, 2018: US authorities initiate legal proceedings against Martin Winterkorn and five other Volkswagen executives.
June 13, 2018: Volkswagen pays a billion euros fine in Germany.
October 15, 2018: searches at the headquarters of Opel, a subsidiary of PSA.
October 16, 2018: Audi pays a fine of 800 million euros in Germany.
January 10, 2019: Fiat Chrysler agrees to pay up to $ 515 million to various US authorities who accuse it of having rigged more than 100,000 vehicles.
May 23, 2019: fine of 90 million euros for the Bosch OEM in Germany.
September 24, 2019: Daimler agrees to pay a fine of 870 million euros in Germany.
To read also: "Dieselgate": Volkswagen wants to make pay its ex-leaders
European justice paves the way for appeals in France
February 28, 2020: following an amicable agreement with German consumers, Volkswagen pays 750 million euros to compensate 240,000 customers.
May 19, 2020: With a payment of 9 million euros, the criminal proceedings against the current Volkswagen director, Herbert Diess, and his chairman of the supervisory board, Hans Dieter Pötsch, come to an end.
May 25, 2020: The German Federal Court orders Volkswagen to reimburse a customer, a first which marks a setback for the manufacturer.
September 9, 2020: the Brunswick court announces that Martin Winterkorn will be tried for "
fraud
".
The trial will open in September 2021.
September 14, 2020: Daimler closes $ 2.2 billion deal in the United States.
September 30, 2020: opening in Germany of the trial of Rupert Stadler, former boss of Audi and chief executive of the Volkswagen group, has been tried.
December 17, 2020: EU justice confirms the illegality of Volkswagen's software despite appeals from manufacturers, paving the way for legal proceedings in France.
Read also: Volkswagen sells the "Dieselgate" in Germany
...and in France
May 7, 2021: Volkswagen's first conviction in France by the Pau Court of Appeal.
An owner recovers 4000 euros, or about 15% of the purchase price of the vehicle.
May 26, 2021: Carlos Ghosn is questioned as a witness in the French investigation targeting Renault.
June 8, 2021: Renault announces its indictment for "
deception
" but "
denies having committed any offense
".
June 9, 2021: Volkswagen in turn announces its indictment in France.
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