Police have raided Renault factories in relation to the recent Volkswagen emissions scandal.
Investigators went to Renault Headquaters, the Renault Technical Centre in Lardy and the Technocentre in Guyancourt. The news wiped 20 per cent of the French car makers share price, although Renault were quick to say tests had found no evidence of emissions-cheating devices.
French ministers said that no “defeat device” or fraudulent software in Renault engines has been found. Renault released a statement saying: “Following public disclosure by the EPA – US Environmental Protection Agency – of the existence of a Defeat Device software used by a leading car manufacturer, an independent technical commission was created by the French Government.”
Renault go on to explain that the purpose of this independent technical commission was to verify that French car manufacturers have not installed equivalent devices in their vehicles. In this regard, the UTAC (French Homologation Authority mandated by the Ministry) is currently testing 100 vehicles in circulation, including 25 Renault vehicles reflecting Renault's market share in France.
In December 2015, 11 vehicles had already been tested, including 4 Renault vehicles enabling the French public authorities to initiate productive discussions with Renault's engineering team. Renault says the French Agency for Energy and Climate (DGEC) ‘already considers that the on-going procedure would not reveal the presence of a defeat device on Renault's vehicles’ which it explains ‘is good news for Renault.’
Renault says its teams are 'fully cooperating' with the independent technical commission and the additional investigations decided by the Ministry of Economy.