The growing involvement of Bosch in the Volkswagen Emission Scandal

One of the first things we looked at was the technicalities behind how Volkswagen had developed intelligent software to basically know when a vehicle is being tested, and know when it’s not.

The science behind it is easy to grasp – the tests are so linear and standard that the technology knows when the car is being tested, by knowing things like steering patterns; speed; longevity of the drive; temperatures, etc.

But, whilst the parameters are easy to recognise, the technology is a pretty sophisticated piece of kit.

And that’s where Bosch comes in.

Bosch are huge players in the market as one of the words biggest engineering and technology suppliers to the automotive industry. According to court papers filed in the U.S. lawsuit against them, no automotive company were allowed to modify engine management software without Bosch having to be told about it.

It’s therefore safe to assume that they must have known about the existence of the “defeat device” software, although it has been revealed that Volkswagen have dropped them in it anyway, having already admitted that Bosch knew about it.

There have been hints that Bosch were specifically asked to develop the software, and did so on the caveat that it would never be used in practice. I think we can all agree on how ridiculous that sounds; although, even if it was true, what on earth did Bosch think Volkswagen were doing? Just asking them for such so-called “defeat device” software for fun?

The court papers said:

“Bosch played a crucial role in the fraudulent enterprise and profited handsomely from it.”

Meanwhile, Bosch hasn’t commented on the allegations made against them, other than affirming that they are defending their interests in the ongoing legal action against them.

An update on the Volkswagen Emissions Scandal

We’re now acting for thousands of victims of the scandal here in the UK, and we’re leading the fight for justice against one of the biggest companies in the world.

Although the German car giants are currently refusing any compensation deals here in the UK, we’re confident we can win the action, and we’re still taking on new cases on a daily basis.