German carmaker Audi created so-called defeat devices which cut emissions in 1999, years before parent company Volkswagen (VW)(VOWG_p.DE) used them to cheat diesel emissions tests, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported on Tuesday.
VW, Europe’s largest automaker, admitted in September it had manipulated the engines of around 11 million diesel cars, including its VW, Audi, Porsche, Skoda and Seat brands.