Bosch unit to sue Dyson over allegations of cheating vacuum cleaner tests

FRANKFURT, Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) 28 (Reuters) - Robert Bosch's household appliances business BSH is suing British bagless vacuum cleaner pioneer Dyson Ltd over accusations that the German business manipulated energy efficiency tests, it said on Wednesday.

The British company's inventor-founder James Dyson had said that cleaners made by Bosch (BSE: BOSCHLTD.BO - news) and Siemens (BSE: SIEMENS4.BO - news) drew more power in actual use in the home than they did in laboratory tests, likening the matter to the Volkswagen (LSE: 0P6N.L - news) diesel-emissions scandal in the United States.

BSH was a joint venture between Bosch and Siemens until earlier this year.

"BSH strenuously rejects these allegations, which are unfounded and untrue," the German company said in a statement, adding that it had initiated legal steps against Dyson in Britain, without elaborating.

Dyson Ltd did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Wednesday.

James Dyson has often complained about the dominance of Germany and the influence of German manufacturers in setting standards for European industry.

The entrepreneur told BBC radio last November that he would vote to leave the European Union over the issue.

"With his completely unfounded accusations of cheating in the past week he has now overstepped the mark, which is why we will now initiate legal steps against Dyson," BSH Chief Executive Karsten Ottenberg said in a statement.

Car (HKSE: 0699-OL.HK - news) parts supplier Robert Bosch makes a popular diesel engine-management programme used by several leading carmakers including Volkswagen (Other OTC: VLKAF - news) .

Volkswagen has acknowledged that it modified the engine software to circumvent U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . emissions standards. It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) is not clear whether Bosch helped it to do so. (Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; Additional reporting by Paul Sandle in London; Editing by David Goodman)