(MENAFN) Ten years after Volkswagen’s emissions scandal disrupted the global automotive sector, five of the largest vehicle manufacturers—Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Renault, Nissan, and Peugeot/Citroen—are now entangled in a pivotal High Court case in London.

This legal battle has the potential to fundamentally reshape public perception of what qualifies as “clean diesel.”

The extensive class action, stemming from the prolonged "dieselgate" controversy, commenced this week and represents the interests of approximately 850,000 drivers.

These claimants argue they were deceived about the ecological efficiency of their cars, alleging the information provided was misleading.

Legal representatives have indicated that the scope of the lawsuit could broaden significantly, potentially involving up to 1.8 million motorists in the UK and covering 14 different vehicle brands.

If this expansion occurs, it may become the most significant consumer class action case in the history of the British legal system.

Central to the legal proceedings are claims that the automakers employed “defeat devices”—a form of software engineered to recognize when a vehicle was undergoing official emissions assessments.

During these tests, the software would activate systems to temporarily lower emissions, enabling the vehicles to comply with European Union pollution standards.

However, when driven under normal road conditions, the vehicles purportedly switched back to standard functionality, allegedly releasing pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter at levels exceeding legal limits.

Each of the five manufacturers has rejected the accusations. Mercedes-Benz maintained that its emissions systems were “legally and technically justified.”

Meanwhile, Renault and Stellantis affirmed that their vehicles met all European emissions requirements at the time of sale.

Ford described the legal claims as “without merit,” and Nissan emphasized its continued “commitment to regulatory compliance in every market.”

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