German Transport Ministry Asks Opel to Appear Before Emissions Commission

By Andreas Kissler and Juergen Hesse

BERLIN--Germany's transport ministry has asked Opel, the German unit of General Motors Co., to appear before a government commission next week, following allegations by an environmental organization that the car maker used illegal devices in its vehicles to control emissions.

A commission that was set up to investigate Volkswagen AG's emissions-cheating scandal will look into the matter. In addition to Opel, representatives of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV are also invited to the commission next week, Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Friday.

Germany began inspecting vehicles made by a number of manufacturers last year after revelations that Volkswagen had installed software in vehicles that let them sidestep emissions controls.

Deutsche Umwelthilfe, an environmental group, said it requested an investigation after finishing a study of Opel emissions and software, conducted with news program Monitor and German magazine Spiegel.

Opel has denied suggestions that it used software to cheat on emissions. Testing done in various countries, it said this week, has cleared it of suspicion of using devices to dodge pollution tests. The company also cast doubt on the findings and methodology of Deutsche Umwelthilfe.

"Based on our own as well as independent controls, and past experience with the published experiments of Deutsche Umwelthilfe, we do not believe that the new results are objective or scientifically grounded," Opel said in a statement.

Fiat declined to comment on next week's invitation to Berlin. The car maker has also repeatedly denied using illegal devices to manipulate emissions in its vehicles.

--Eric Sylvers contributed to this article.

Write to Andreas Kissler at [e-mail] and Juergen Hesse at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 13, 2016 12:59 ET (16:59 GMT)

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