On 20 February 2018, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC) proved that retrofitting the hardware of Euro 5 diesel vehicles is both feasible and highly effective. Recent measurement data shows that emission levels of retrofitted vehicles drop by up to 70 percent in urban traffic and 90 percent on suburban roads. In areas where air pollution is a major problem, air quality could improve by up to 25 percent.

In the Club’s view, legislators and manufacturers are required to implement vehicle adaptations to achieve a substantial reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions without delay and to prevent general driving bans. Consumers must not be asked to bear the cost of the retrofit. Car makers could begin to regain consumer trust by covering the majority of these costs.

Ulrich Klaus Becker, ADAC Vice President Transport, said: “Mobility must be compatible with health and environmental protection. Our tests clearly show that effective measures include software updates and hardware upgrades as well as the earlier launch of Euro 6d-TEMP vehicles, much more attractive local public transport options, smoother traffic flows and refits of large fleets, especially of those used in city centres. The money needed for implementation could come from the sustainable urban mobility fund, for instance.”

Read more (in German)

See the detailed test results (in German)