Audi Executives Face Years in Court as Dieselgate Plea Talks Collapse

Two former Audi executives and two engineers will stand trial in Germany's long-running "Dieselgate" scandal. Prosecutors say they could not reach a plea deal with the defendants. This means a lengthy court case is now expected. The trial will revisit the emissions cheating affair that damaged the global auto industry. The scandal, first uncovered in 2015, involved software in diesel vehicles. This software could detect when a car was being tested. It would then illegally reduce emissions to pass laboratory checks. On the road, the cars polluted far beyond legal limits. Audi is a key subsidiary of Volkswagen Group. Volkswagen has already paid billions in fines and settlements worldwide. This trial focuses on individual accountability at Audi's top levels. The defendants are charged with fraud. The court must now decide their role in the deception. A verdict could take many months or even years.