Bosch Named in US Lawsuit Over VW Diesel Emissions Scheme
A New York diesel owner has brought legal action against Bosch, alleging the supplier helped Volkswagen develop software to cheat US emissions tests.
Bosch has been named as a defendant in a US lawsuit that accuses the German supplier of conspiring with Volkswagen to cheat on diesel emissions tests. The civil suit, filed by a New York diesel owner in the US District Court in Detroit, alleges Bosch developed software used in Volkswagen’s defeat device system, enabling vehicles to pass laboratory emissions tests while exceeding legal limits during normal driving.
The 56-page complaint names Bosch, Volkswagen, former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn and Volkswagen US chief Michael Horn. It claims all parties violated civil racketeering and consumer fraud laws. According to the lawsuit, Bosch not only supplied the software but continued to do business with Volkswagen after allegedly warning the carmaker in 2007 that using the software in vehicles on public roads could be criminal. Despite this, the suit claims Bosch sold or licensed 11 million of the relevant components to VW over the following seven years.
Wider legal and regulatory scrutiny
Bosch’s role in the diesel emissions scandal has also attracted the attention of US federal prosecutors. According to sources cited by Reuters, the Department of Justice began investigating whether Bosch was involved in or aware of Volkswagen’s scheme, though the probe remained at an early stage with no public evidence of wrongdoing by Bosch at the time of the lawsuit. The supplier, the world’s largest in the automotive sector, has not been charged with any crime.
The legal action against Bosch is not limited to Detroit. Similar class-action lawsuits have been filed in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Alabama and Alexandria, Virginia. Plaintiffs in these cases argue that Bosch played an active role in facilitating Volkswagen’s emissions cheating, expanding the scope of legal fallout from the original scandal that erupted in 2015.
Implications for suppliers and emissions regulation
The legal claims against Bosch highlight growing scrutiny of suppliers’ roles in emissions compliance, not just those of vehicle manufacturers. The outcome could influence how suppliers manage regulatory risks and contractual responsibilities with carmakers, especially in emissions-critical components and software.
Bosch’s situation is part of a broader wave of litigation and regulatory action following the Volkswagen diesel emissions revelations. For more on the regulatory response, seeEuropean Parliament to Investigate VW Emissions ScandalandVolkswagen to Recall 8.5 Million Diesel Cars Across Europe After Emissions Scandal.
