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Contingent Liabilities
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingent Liabilities

9. CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

Legal Proceedings

Various claims, lawsuits and proceedings are pending or threatened against the Company or its subsidiaries, covering a range of matters that arise in the ordinary course of its business activities with respect to commercial, product liability and other matters. Litigation is subject to many uncertainties, and the outcome of any litigation cannot be assured. After discussions with counsel, it is the opinion of management that the various legal proceedings and investigations to which the Company currently is a party will not have a material adverse impact on the consolidated financial position of Autoliv, but the Company cannot provide assurance that Autoliv will not experience material litigation, product liability or other losses in the future.

ANTITRUST MATTERS

Authorities in several jurisdictions have conducted broad, and in some cases, long-running investigations of suspected anti-competitive behavior among parts suppliers in the global automotive vehicle industry. These investigations included, but are not limited to, the products that the Company sells. In addition to concluded matters, authorities of other countries with significant light vehicle manufacturing or sales may initiate similar investigations.

PRODUCT WARRANTY, RECALLS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Autoliv is exposed to various claims for damages and compensation if its products fail to perform as expected. Such claims can be made, and result in costs and other losses to the Company, even where the product is eventually found to have functioned properly. Where a product (actually or allegedly) fails to perform as expected or is defective, the Company may face warranty and recall claims. Where such (actual or alleged) failure or defect results, or is alleged to result, in bodily injury and/or property damage or other loss, the Company may also face product liability and other claims. There can be no assurance that the Company will not experience material warranty, recall or product (or other) liability claims or losses in the future, or that the Company will not incur significant costs to defend against such claims. The Company may be required to participate in a recall involving its products. Each vehicle manufacturer has its own practices regarding product recalls and other product liability actions relating to its suppliers. As suppliers become more integrally involved in the vehicle design process and assume more of the vehicle assembly functions, vehicle manufacturers are increasingly looking to their suppliers for contribution when faced with recalls and product liability claims. Government safety regulators may also play a role in warranty and recall practices. A warranty, recall or product-liability claim

brought against the Company in excess of its insurance may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business. Vehicle manufacturers are also increasingly requiring their outside suppliers to guarantee or warrant their products and bear the costs of repair and replacement of such products under new vehicle warranties. A vehicle manufacturer may attempt to hold the Company responsible for some, or all, of the repair or replacement costs of products when the product supplied did not perform as represented by us or expected by the customer. Accordingly, the future costs of warranty claims by customers may be material. However, the Company believes its established reserves are adequate. Autoliv’s warranty reserves are based upon the Company’s best estimates of amounts necessary to settle future and existing claims. The Company regularly evaluates the adequacy of these reserves and adjusts them when appropriate. However, the final amounts actually due related to these matters could differ materially from the Company’s recorded estimates.

In addition, as vehicle manufacturers increasingly use global platforms and procedures, quality performance evaluations are also conducted on a global basis. Any one or more quality, warranty or other recall issue(s) (including those affecting few units and/or having a small financial impact) may cause a vehicle manufacturer to implement measures such as a temporary or prolonged suspension of new orders, which may have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations.

The Company maintains a program of insurance, which may include commercial insurance, self-insurance, or a combination of both approaches, for potential recall and product liability claims in amounts and on terms that it believes are reasonable and prudent based on our prior claims experience. The Company’s insurance policies generally include coverage of the costs of a recall, although costs related to replacement parts are generally not covered. In addition, a number of the agreements entered into by the Company, including the Spin-off Agreements, require Autoliv to indemnify the other parties for certain claims. Autoliv cannot assure that the level of coverage will be sufficient to cover every possible claim that can arise in our businesses or with respect to other obligations, now or in the future, or that such coverage always will be available should we, now or in the future, wish to extend, increase or otherwise adjust our insurance.

Specific Recalls:

On June 29, 2016, the Company announced that it was cooperating with Toyota Motor Corp. in its recall of approximately 1.4 million vehicles equipped with a certain model of the Company’s side curtain airbag (the “Toyota Recall”). The Company determined pursuant to ASC 450 that a loss with respect to the Toyota Recall was probable and accrued an amount that was included in the total product liability accrual in the fourth quarter of 2020. The amount by which the product liability accrual exceeded the product liability insurance receivable with respect to the Toyota Recall was $25 million and included deductibles and replacement parts. The Company settled and resolved the Toyota Recall on April 27, 2021. The final amount by which the product liability accrual exceeded the product liability insurance receivable was $26 million, which is generally in line with our expectations disclosed in prior quarters. The matter is now closed.

Additionally, in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company was made aware of a potential recall by one of its customers (the “Unannounced Recall”). The Company continues to evaluate this matter with its customer. The Company has determined pursuant to ASC 450 that a loss with respect to the Unannounced Recall is probable and has accrued an amount that is reflected in the total product liability accrual in the fourth quarter of 2020. The amount by which the product liability accrual exceeds the product liability insurance receivable with respect to the Unannounced Recall is $26 million and includes self-insurance retention costs and deductibles. The ultimate loss to the Company of the Unannounced Recall could be materially different from the amount the Company has accrued.

Intellectual Property:

In its products, the Company utilizes technologies which may be subject to intellectual property rights of third parties. While the Company does seek to procure the necessary rights to utilize intellectual property rights associated with its products, it may fail to do so. Where the Company so fails, the Company may be exposed to material claims from the owners of such rights. Where the Company has sold products which infringe upon such rights, its customers may be entitled to be indemnified by the Company for the claims they suffer as a result thereof. Such claims could be material.

The table in Note 7. Product-Related Liabilities above summarizes the change in the balance sheet position of the product-related liabilities.