more than fifteen million diesel vehicles on germany s roads drivers find them reliable and economical and they re popular with businesses transporting freight and goods. but the future of that popularity is in doubt in the face of a possible diesel ban vehicle sales have slowed and the new regulations address concerns over high levels of nitrogen dioxide in the zilla missions. the gas is linked to cardiovascular and lung disease in a study by germany s federal environment agency researchers linked nitrogen dioxide in diesel exhaust to some eight thousand premature deaths from heart related disease. i don t think politicians are serious about the results of these studies because otherwise we d have to really enforce these driving restrictions.