The shadows of the past refuse to leave the corridors of Volkswagen AG. Just when the industry began to believe that the era of “Dieselgate“ was a closed page, France decided to remind us that justice sometimes moves slowly but methodically. The German concern is preparing for a new, this time criminal trial in Paris, which threatens to open the old wound with new force.
At the center of the blow is the accusation that the company acted with criminal negligence (and even intent) by presenting misleading information about products that “endanger the health of people and animals“. It's a familiar scenario: software "tricks" that detect when a car is on an environmental test bench and temporarily limit toxic emissions, while on the road they literally get out of control.
The courtroom in Paris is expected to become an arena for serious legal clashes in December, when the final parameters of the case will be specified. Although Volkswagen has already paid out more than 30 billion euros in penalties worldwide, French prosecutors are insisting on a separate proceeding under national law. And they are not alone in Themis's sights - French giants Renault and Stellantis are also under the microscope of investigators, suggesting that more cataclysms await us in the European automotive sector.
Wolfsburg will probably try to apply the principle of "non bis in idem" - that no one can be tried twice for the same thing, given the huge €1 billion fine paid in Germany in 2018. However, French authorities seem determined to prove that local consumers and the environment deserve their own retribution.
Will this be the final nail in the coffin of the brand's diesel reputation, or just another financial storm for the giant to weather? One thing is certain: December in Paris is going to be hot, and the stakes for the future of conventional engines are getting higher.