SOUTH Korea’s antitrust regulator fined Mercedes-Benz 20.2 billion won (RM70 million) for falsifying information on its diesel cars’ gas emissions and ordered it to take corrective actions.

The German automaker is found to have tampered with pollution mitigation devices by installing illegal software in its cars, making them perform at lower levels in ordinary driving conditions than during certification tests, said the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), as reported by Yonhap.

The rigging means that the vehicles fail to meet permissible emission levels, but Mercedes-Benz falsified related facts in signs attached to its cars between April 2012 and November 2018, said the commission.

FTC said the automaker also advertised that its vehicles’ nitrogen oxide emissions remain at a minimum level and fully meet the Euro 6 emission standards.

The false ads are found on 15 models, which are run on catalogue, magazines and press releases between August 2013 and December 2016, it added.

“Though Mercedes-Benz claims that it used typical phrases about well-known performances of the emission mitigation devices, concealing the intentional implementation of illegal software and claiming its vehicles perform the best are beyond simple exaggeration and deception.

“Such practices will or are feared to hurt fair market order by preventing consumers from making a reasonable decision.”

Last year, the commission either imposed a fine or ordered corrective steps for Audi-Volkswagen Korea, Nissan Motor Corp, Stellantis Korea and Porsche AG for similar incidents of emission rigging. – Bernama, February 6, 2022.