Netherlands suspects Fiat of diesel software fraud

The software used in the diesel engines of the Suzuki Vitara and the Jeep Grand Cherokee seems to be messing with the vehicles emission data, the Dutch service for road traffic RDW said in an intermediate report on investigations done into 16 different vehicles. Both these cars' engines are made by Fiat Chrysler, NU.nl reports.

In both cars the system that reduces nitrogen oxide emissions turns off for no apparent reason, according to the RDW. The Public Prosecutor was informed of these results. A criminal investigation may follow.

All 16 tested vehicles have a software system that gave different results in test situations than in normal use. The makers of the other 14 vehicles proved ot the RDW that the reduced operation of the system is necessary to protect the engine, according to the newspaper.

The RDW decided to test a number of diesel cars in the Netherlands following the so-called Volkswagen Diesel Scandal of 2015. The car manufacturer was caught cheating on emission requirement tests in the United States - the onboard software gave different emission results when the cars involved were tested in a garage setting and on the road.