Stellantis, the company that owns Dodge and Jeep, will pay a penalty of $300 million to the US Department of Justice after pleading guilty to diesel emission fraud.

The fraud involved Stellantis trying to hide just how much pollution its diesel automobiles are causing. As the fifth-largest car maker, the company was on the radar of US regulators and to stay in business, it attempted to deceive them.

According to a Reuters report, the investigators found that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles installed illegal software to pass government emission tests. The software was programmed to show fewer emissions during tests than it did on normal circumstances. Note that Fiat and Peugeot’s parent company PSA came together to form Stellantis in 2021.

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The penalty involves payment for almost 100,000 vehicles that the company sold between 2014 and 2016, including SUVs and pickup trucks it made for its Jeep brands. In addition to paying money for their crime, the company will have to submit Clean Air Act compliance reports to the Justice Department. It is also on a probation for three years, which will determine if the company can continue selling cars.

Three employees of the company are also awaiting trial on criminal charges related to the case.

Emission fraud cases are likely to get even more frequent with the global push for renewable energy and reduced carbon emission. Companies who cannot keep up with the move to cleaner energy may find themselves trying to cut corners.

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