The High Court in London has opened one of the most attention-grabbing consumer trials in recent years. Five car manufacturers are accused of deceiving millions of drivers by installing defeat devices to cheat pollution tests. The case, expected to run for three months, revives the scandal that has haunted the industry for a decade. Billions of pounds in compensation claims are looming.
Renault, Peugeot-Citroën, Mercedes, Ford, and Nissan are the latest to face the legal consequences of installing so-called “defeat devices” that made their vehicles appear cleaner during emissions testing than they were on the road.
Each company denies wrongdoing, insisting its cars complied with environmental regulations. But lawyers representing more than a million British motorists argue that the manufacturers knowingly misled consumers about the environmental impact of their vehicles. They are now calling for large-scale damages.
It’s about accountability
The trial is not just about financial compensation but about accountability. Demonstrators outside the Royal Courts of Justice, demanding apologies from the carmakers. They complain about illegal levels of air pollution in South London, which have even led to children’s deaths, according to the campaigners.
The Dieselgate scandal is most tightly linked to Volkswagen when it first erupted in 2015. The car group admitted using software to manipulate emissions data in 11 million vehicles worldwide. The group has since paid more than €30 billion in fines and settlements. As for Britain, the German company already settled two years ago and paid roughly €130 million to British customers.
If the current lawsuit against the five manufacturers succeeds, it could set a legal benchmark for nearly every car brand operating in the UK. Brands such as BMW, Volvo, Toyota, and Jaguar Land Rover are already facing similar complaints. The initial phase of the London court case will determine whether the companies are liable; a second stage (in 2026) will assess compensation amounts if due.
Low response in Belgium
However, legal claims like these aren’t fully exploited. Belgium serves as an example. The consumer association Test-Aankoop is currently urging owners of affected Volkswagen Group cars to claim their share of compensation before a 26 October deadline.
Only 2,400 of an estimated 320,000 eligible Belgians have submitted their claims so far, representing less than 1% of the affected customers. Still, the ruling grants each of them up to 5% of the purchase price of their vehicle.
The low response has baffled Test-Aankoop, which attributes it to fading public memory and bureaucratic hurdles. “It would be a shame if people let this pass,” said spokesperson for the company, Laura Clays. “They were misled and deserve to be compensated.”
