Hanergy launches solar-embedded roof tile, eyes mass production

BERLIN/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – German lawmakers must balance conflicting demands at a national summit to discuss pollution from diesel vehicles this week, wanting to appear tough ahead of federal elections next month while trying to avoid damaging the car industry. Political leaders and car industry executives will meet in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss inner-city pollution in a last-ditch effort to restore the battered reputation of the automotive industry and preserve hundreds of thousands of jobs. “What’s clear is that the car industry caused the damage and has the damn responsibility to own up to it,” Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt told ARD TV on Monday. “They need to ensure that cars are quickly optimized and have lower emissions.”

Germany is open in principle to class action lawsuits against carmakers engulfed in the emissions cheating scandal, the Transport Ministry said on Monday, taking a hard line ahead of the talks. Germany is home to some of the world’s largest carmakers but the industry has been under a cloud since Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) admitted to cheating emissions tests in 2015. The sense of crisis deepened when German magazine Der Spiegel accused VW, Daimler (DAIGn.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE), Audi (NSUG.DE) and Porsche of colluding for decades on prices, technologies and the choice of suppliers to the detriment of foreign rivals.

Source:Reuters