29 Jan 2018

Volkswagen Group, Daimler and BMW condemned experiments that exposed humans to diesel fumes, promising to investigate the tests...

The study, supported by a little-known group founded by the three automakers in 2007, had 25 people breathe diesel exhaust at a clinic used by the University of Aachen...

The story cited annual reports from the European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector, or EUGT, which closed last year. This followed a story from the The New York Times earlier that said the organization also conducted tests using monkeys.

The university defended its experiments on Monday, saying the study was approved by an independent ethics board. It focused on health effects in the workplace...

Volkswagen apologized for the misconduct and lack of judgment of some individuals, calling the trials a mistake.

BMW, while distancing itself from the studies, said the assessment of the trial at Aachen University before an independent body with appropriate expertise -- such as the ethics commission -- should be taken into account.

Daimler also promised to investigate, while saying it didn't have any influence over the study. "We are appalled by the extent of the studies and their implementation," Daimler said in an emailed statement. "We condemn the experiments in the strongest terms."