Mercedes-Benz may have put this controversial device in your car

Imagine yet buying your imagination car aft years of hard enactment and driving it each time with pride, lone to observe that a instrumentality installed successful your conveyance is allegedly faking compliance with a cardinal diagnostic for which the marque is known.

A German luxury automaker founded successful 1926, the Mercedes-Benz Group (MBGYY) touts its "The champion oregon nothing" slogan. The institution is renowned for its high-end vehicles, groundbreaking automotive technological innovations, and committedness to sustainable mobility.

However, its estimation whitethorn person conscionable been tainted aft a caller allegation led the institution to wage a hefty price.

Mercedes-Benz USA and its genitor company, Daimler AG, person agreed to wage a $149.6 million settlement pursuing allegations that the automaker installed emission-cheating devices successful much than 211,000 vehicles.

According to the Delaware Department of Justice, the devices allowed the vehicles to walk emissions tests portion violating authorities laws prohibiting unfair oregon deceptive commercialized practices. The colony besides includes much than $200 cardinal successful imaginable user relief.

The statement applies to astir 39,565 vehicles that had not been repaired oregon permanently removed from the roadworthy by August 1, 2023. Owners of those vehicles whitethorn beryllium eligible to person $2,000 per vehicle.

"For astir a decade, Mercedes sold vehicles that were marketed arsenic cleanable and environmentally liable portion secretly polluting acold beyond ineligible limits," said Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings successful the filing.

"This colony holds Mercedes accountable for deceiving consumers, evading emissions laws, and putting nationalist wellness astatine risk. We expect honesty successful the marketplace and cleanable aerial successful our communities. Today’s statement delivers some meaningful penalties and existent alleviation for affected drivers."

Under the settlement, Mercedes-Benz USA volition wage the authorities $120 million. An further $29.7 cardinal volition beryllium suspended and whitethorn beryllium waived if the institution completes a broad user alleviation program.

The statement is inactive taxable to tribunal approval.

Vehicle emissions are among the largest contributors to aerial contamination successful Delaware, making compliance with emissions power regulations captious to maintaining aerial quality, according to Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control Secretary Greg Patterson.

The ailment alleges that betwixt 2008 and 2016, Mercedes-Benz USA installed devices successful much than 211,000 vehicles that allowed the cars to transcend ineligible limits for nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions portion appearing compliant during testing. Despite this, the vehicles were marketed arsenic environmentally affable and afloat compliant with emissions regulations.