By bizn_fun 
Martin Deigh of Leigh Day, which is one of the 22 law firms representing drivers, said: “A decade after the Dieselgate scandal first came to light, 1.6 million UK motorists now get their chance to establish at trial whether their vehicles contained technology designed to cheat emissions tests.”
He said that if the allegations against the car firms are upheld in court it “would demonstrate one of the most egregious breaches of corporate trust in modern times”.
“It would also mean that people across the UK have been breathing in far more harmful emissions from these vehicles than they were told about, potentially putting the health of millions at risk.”
The companies involved have said the claims against them are without merit.
A spokesperson for Mercedes said the mechanisms used in tests were “justifiable from a technical and legal standpoint”.
Renault and Stellantis, which owns Peugeot and Citroen, said the vehicles it sold were compliant with regulations at the time.
Ford said the claims had “no merit” and Nissan said it was “committed to compliance in all markets in which we operate”.