From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
VW suspends chief lobbyist over exhaust fume tests on humans, monkeys
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleBERLIN — Germany’s scandal-hit auto giant Volkswagen on Tuesday suspends its chief lobbyist Thomas Steg as outrage mounts over monkey and human experiments to study the effects of diesel exhaust fumes.
CEO Matthias Mueller says VW has “taken first consequences” from the tests on monkeys and put on leave Steg, the general representative for external relations and government affairs, who has “taken full responsibility.”
The New York Times reported last week that US researchers in 2014 locked 10 monkeys into airtight chambers and made them breathe in diesel exhaust from a VW Beetle while the animals were watching TV cartoons.
Separately, it emerged that a research group funded by VW, Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler and BMW had ordered a study in Germany measuring the effects of inhaling nitrogen dioxide on 25 human volunteers.
— AFP
The Times of Israel Community.