dieselgate

Volkswagen Group has announced it will seek damages from its former CEO, Prof Martin Winterkorn, after a six-year investigation. Wintekorn was named alongside former Audi CEO, Prof Rupert Stadler, by Volkswagen Group's Supervisory Board as allegedly being the two individuals responsible for the 'Dieselgate' saga, which has resulted in the company paying an estimated $46.5 billion in fines, compensation, and vehicle buybacks.

New laws allow the European Union to recall vehicles found to have breached emissions standards. If a car is found to be non-compliant, the European Commission – the EU's independent executive arm – can revoke that model's certifications, as well as issuing a €30,000 (AU$48,600) fine per vehicle, according to news agency Reuters.

German prosecutors have charged four Audi executives for allegedly overseeing engine software designed to cheat emissions tests, according to news outlet Reuters. Three of the men were board members at the luxury automaker, while the fourth was previously the head of a department. German prosecutors claim they were involved in deceptive conduct, and have charged the group with fraud, false certification, and criminal advertising.

The Federal Court has fined Volkswagen a record $125 million – $50 million more than the $75 million the German car maker had agreed upon with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) – for making "false representations" about the diesel emissions of more than 57,000 cars. It is the highest penalty ever handed down by the Federal Court for breaching Australian Consumer Law.

Daimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz, has been fined €870 million ($1.4 billion) by German authorities for selling vehicles which did not fully comply with regulations regarding oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions. It's understood roughly 684,000 diesel vehicles sold in Germany were not compliant with emissions regulations.