SEOUL: German prosecutors have launched investigations into regional offices of Hyundai Motor and Kia in Germany and Luxembourg on June 28 (local time).
The prosecutors said it will deploy 140 investigators from the Hessen State Police, Frankfurt Prosecutors and Luxembourg investigation authorities to obtain evidence, communication data, software and design documents along with the European Justice Organization (Eurojust).
According to the prosecutors, Hyundai Motor, Kia, and its parts partner Borgwarner Group allegedly manipulated diesel emissions. The prosecutors accused them of fraud and air pollution. The companies have distributed more than 210,000 units of diesel vehicles with manipulated diesel emissions devices by 2020, the prosecution said.
Due to the manipulated device, the exhaust gas purifiers of the vehicle were not properly working, emitting more nitrogen oxide than permitted, the prosecution explained. Prosecutors said that the companies did not notify customers that the vehicles did not meet the Euro 5 or Euro 6 standards, the European environmental standards.
The vehicles caught are all models of Hyundai and Kia equipped with 1.1L, 1.4L, 1.6L, 1.7L, 2.0L and 2.2L diesel engines. The engine control software was allegedly produced by Bosch and Delphi, a parts subsidiary of Borgwarner Group, the prosecution said. (ANI/Global Economic)