Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) - Subsequent Event - Multi-Currency Revolving Credit Facility Agreement	Jul. 14, 2016 USD ($) Bank
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility borrowing capacity \| $	$ 1,100,000,000
Number of banks \| Bank	14
Revolving credit facility, maturity date	2021-07
Revolving credit facility, possible maturity extension period	2 years
Percentage of commitment fee on undrawn amount	0.08%
Percentage of commitment fee as compared to applicable margin rate	35.00%
Banks Rated A- or Above
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Percentage of applicable margin rate	0.225%
Maximum
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Loan maturity period	5 years

Line Of Credit Facility Maturity Month and Year

No definition available.

Name:	alv_LineOfCreditFacilityMaturityMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	alv_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearMonthItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility Term Extension Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alv_LineOfCreditFacilityTermExtensionPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	alv_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loan Maturity Periods

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alv_LoanMaturityPeriods
Namespace Prefix:	alv_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number Of Banks Involved In Multi Currency Revolving Credit Agreement

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alv_NumberOfBanksInvolvedInMultiCurrencyRevolvingCreditAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	alv_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unused fee as a percentage of the commitment fee.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alv_UnusedFeeAsAPercentageOfTheCommitmentFee
Namespace Prefix:	alv_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditRatingStandardPoorsAxis=us-gaap_StandardPoorsAMinusRatingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: