A former top executive at German carmaker Audi on Tuesday pleaded guilty over the “dieselgate” emissions-cheating scandal that rocked parent company Volkswagen, after a lengthy trial.
Wolfgang Hatz and two other colleagues had arranged the installation of banned software to rig emissions in diesel vehicles, his lawyer told the Munich district court.
Hatz is expected to receive a reduced sentence for confessing.
It is not yet clear whether former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler — the main defendant in the case, and the first auto boss in Germany to stand trial over the scandal — will also enter a guilty plea.
German car giant Volkswagen – whose brands include Porsche, Audi, Skoda and Seat – admitted in September 2015 that it had installed software to rig emissions in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide.