Volkswagen’s Audi selects Peter Mertens as new R&D chief

Audi has selected the research and development (R&D) chief of Swedish automaker Volvo as its new head of technical development, filling a crucial post as the Volkswagen-owned brand faces the fallout from the company’s emissions scandal.

Peter Mertens, senior vice president for R&D at Volvo Car Corporation who formerly held senior positions at General Motors and Audi’s German rival Mercedes-Benz, will take up his brand-new post as soon as possible, a spokesman for Audi stated on Thursday, without providing more details.

Mertens is going to replace Audi’s previous R&D chief Stefan Knirsch, who left the premium brand in September.

A source acquainted with the matter has informed Reuters Knirsch’s departure was connected to Volkswagen’s investigation into its emissions test cheating scandal, without providing details. Audi and Volkswagen refused to comment.

Audi, Volkswagen’s biggest profit engine, has come under scrutiny for its presence in the scandal after Volkswagen said previously this month that Audi cars with automatic transmissions had technology efficient in misshaping emissions when tested.

With Mertens, Audi is looking for stability after losing 4 heads of R&D in as many years at a time of intense competition with Mercedes-Benz and BMW in new innovations.

” That (Mertens’s appointment) is a good choice,” Audi labor boss Peter Mosch stated on Twitter. “It’s important to more push digitalization and electrical mobility.”