Dyson accuses Bosch, Siemens of Volkswagen-like acts

Noted British inventor Sir James Dyson's engineering firm Dyson has initiated legal action against rivals Bosch and Siemens accusing them of misleading consumers as in the Volkswagen scandal.

The UK company, most famous for its bag-less vacuum cleaners and blade-less fans, claimed that independent testing had shown that machines made by Bosch and Siemens could draw more than 1600W of power when used in the home despite being rated 750W.

According to Dyson, machines worked at a lower power setting when there was no dust, as was the case in testing situations.

Under the claims, Siemens Q8.0 and Bosch GL80 / IN'Genius ProPerform models used a sensor that sent signals to the motor to increase its power as the machine sucked up dust.

This meant a rating as high as AAAA in test conditions could drop to an E or F in the home.

Dyson said, "Consumers purchasing these machines on the basis of their widely advertised stated AAAA rating are being misled.

"Dyson has issued proceedings against Siemens in Germany and Belgium and Bosch in the Netherlands and France."

Dyson founder and noted British inventor Sir James Dyson said, "Bosch has installed control electronics into some of its machines to wrongfully increase energy consumption when in use - to cheat the EU energy label.

"Their behaviour is akin to that seen in the Volkswagen scandal.

"It seems that industry is rife with manufacturers engineering to find their way around tests, rather than engineering better, more efficient technology. This behaviour is seriously misleading customers."

 ''We do not understand these assertions by Dyson and we strenuously reject them,'' the company (Bosch) said, adding that it was ''committed to full disclosure on the energy ratings and broader performance of our vacuum cleaners''

Sir James said the findings came to light during independent laboratory testing.

According to commentators, however, it might be that the EU test methodology was flawed rather than there being wrongful action by Bosch.

The two manufacturers have been long-standing rivals and in 2012, Sir James sued Bosch for allegedly paying a Dyson employee to steal secrets from the company's Malmesbury base.