New dieselgate: the trial of the world's largest automakers has begun in the UK
Photo: EPA

The High Court of Justice in London has begun to consider the largest class action lawsuit in the history of English law, writes The Guardian. More than 1.6 million car owners are demanding compensation, accusing companies of manipulating diesel emissions tests.

The hearing will focus on cars sold since 2009 by five manufacturers – Mercedes, Ford, Renault, Nissan and Peugeot/Citroën. If the claim is successful, the damages could exceed £6 billion.

The plaintiffs claim that the companies knowingly installed illegal software ("defeat devices") that allowed them to falsify NOx emissions tests. Under the test conditions, the cars demonstrated permissible emissions, but in reality, the standards could have been exceeded by 12 times.

The court's decision will also apply to Volkswagen/Porsche, BMW, Toyota, Mazda, FCA/Suzuki, Volvo, Opel, Jaguar Land Rover and Hyundai-Kia.

The plaintiffs' lawyer, Thomas de la Mar, said that the companies deliberately chose profits and "customer convenience" over compliance with the law and reducing deadly pollution.

According to the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research, excessive NOx emissions caused 124,000 premature deaths in the UK and Europe between 2009 and 2024.

The producers deny the violation, calling the case "scientifically illiterate" or "erroneous."

The emissions testing incident (dieselgate) first broke out in 2015, when Volkswagen admitted to violations. The company spent more than €30 billion on payments, fines, and legal fees.