The company, which is based in London and was formed by a 2014 merger between U.S. automaker Chrysler and Italian automaker Fiat, denied those accusations. “By concealing this software, Fiat Chrysler deceived regulators and violated environmental law,” Jesse Panuccio, principal deputy associate attorney general, told reporters in a briefing at the department’s headquarters. Fiat Chrysler admitted to no wrongdoing on its part in the settlement, but government officials noted the deal does not resolve any potential criminal liability. “VW came forward much earlier.”Wheeler and other top officials emphasized that Fiat Chrysler is a multinational corporation, as opposed to a U.S. one. The state’s attorney general, Xavier Becerra, and Mary Nichols, who chairs the California Air Resources Board, told reporters in a phone call that Fiat Chrysler caused tangible harm to the environment through its actions.

Source: Washington Post January 10, 2019 16:15 UTC