Exhaust systems do not turn off in certain road conditions, says BMW

BMW on Monday turned down a media report that said the software in particular diesel models turned off a gas filtering system in specific road conditions, causing extreme nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

German broadcaster ZDF’s program WISO and Tagesspiegel had earlier reported that tests by German environmental lobby group DUH revealed that the BMW 320d model’s NOx emissions leapt substantially when the vehicle’s speed was boosted by 10 percent in road tests.

The Tagesspiegel report stated DUH’s test revealed that the vehicle, whose engine has a euro-6 diesel emissions standard, released an average of 470 mg/km when driven at speeds of as much as 120 km/hr on a motorway. The Tagesspiegel report stated DUH stated this showed that the gas filtering system was being turned off by the engine software.

At lower speeds and on the test bed, the emissions were less than the 80 milligram per kilometer limit, the reports stated.

WISO and Tagesspiegel stated DUH’s test outcomes had been confirmed by testing firm TUeV Nord.

In reaction to the reports, BMW stated its automobiles adhered to the legal requirements and had not been manipulated.

“There are no activities of technical provisions to affect the test mode used to determine emissions – that suggests that our exhaust systems are active both on the test bed and in practice,” the group stated.