Emissions trial against former VW boss
Winterkorn denies allegations: “I am not a software expert”
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
Former Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn has to stand trial for manipulating millions of diesel vehicles. In his statement, he claims to be ignorant – and regrets the inglorious end to his career.
Former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn has expressed his concern about the charges in the criminal trial against him. “The public prosecutor's accusation that I failed to take the necessary actions in my role as CEO, deceived and harmed customers and shareholders and thereby made myself liable to prosecution, affects me very seriously – at the end of my professional career,” said the defendant before the Braunschweig Regional Court.
In his opening statement, the 77-year-old rejected all of the charges. That was not the attitude he had taken in almost 15 years as CEO at the helm of Audi and Volkswagen. “That also does not correspond to my understanding of how one fulfills one's duties in this role,” said Winterkorn. In the criminal trial, he is accused of commercial fraud, market manipulation and perjury. The presumption of innocence applies.
Winterkorn stressed that as CEO he had primarily made strategic decisions: “On the other hand, it is not the job of a CEO to personally deal with individual challenges to technical development.” He was not involved in the decisions about the development and use of an “irregular software function in the new VW diesel engines,” Winterkorn said in his long statement, parts of which were also read out by his lawyers.
“I am not an engine developer, I am not a specialist in exhaust gas purification, and I am not a software expert who has dealt with the control of engines and exhaust gas purification systems.” As a result, he did not understand what the technical problems were at the time. He also did not realize “that VW had been on the market in the USA for several years with software applications that violated the rules.” He did not receive the necessary explanations from his technicians.
Winterkorn: I have taken responsibility
He said he had taken “responsibility for this disaster” with his resignation in 2015 and also financially. “However, I think it is far-fetched to accuse me of criminal charges, as the Braunschweig public prosecutor's office is trying to do with its charges.”
In 2015, following investigations in the USA, VW had to admit that it had installed illegal software in millions of diesel vehicles worldwide that reduced emissions on test benches – in real operation, they were significantly higher. The cars in question should not have been registered.
Winterkorn's defense had previously rejected the accusations made against the defendant. They were “little to not at all substantiated,” said his lawyer Felix Dörr. The indictment was “not very productive,” it completely ignored technical questions, and the “overwhelming numbers” of cars allegedly affected by the cheating software also needed to be put into context.
“The indictment contains almost no explanation of what exactly was supposed to have been 'defeated' in the engines,” said Dörr, referring to the prohibited switch-off device. This is only “alleged”. What is also missing is a consideration of administrative practice in the USA, the defense attorney continued. The trial began on Tuesday. Around 90 hearings are scheduled until autumn next year.
