Debt and Credit Agreements - Additional Information (Detail) SEK in Millions			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Apr. 25, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($) Bank Option	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Tranche	Dec. 31, 2017 SEK Tranche	Dec. 31, 2017 SEK	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Short-term debt including including DRD	[1]				$ 19,700,000			$ 219,800,000
Debt repayments					36,000,000	SEK 300
Short-term debt excluding commercial paper					321,000,000
Short-term debt excluding commercial paper, utilized amount					$ 20,000,000
Weighted average interest rate on short-term debt					2.00%		2.00%	3.00%
Long-term debt	[1]				$ 1,321,700,000			$ 1,323,600,000
Long term debt issued		$ 1,250,000,000
Long term debt issued, average interest rate		3.84%
Long-term debt					$ 1,341,400,000
Number of tranches of notes | Tranche					1	1
Fixed interest rate on notes and loans					6.20%		6.20%
Money market funds					$ 326,000,000
Banks Rated A- or Above
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Calculated risk amount					150,000,000
Banks Rated BBB+
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Calculated risk amount					50,000,000
Syndicated by Banks
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Number of banks syndicated on revolving credit facility | Bank				14
Swedish Program
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commercial paper					850,000,000		SEK 7,000
United States Program
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commercial paper					1,000,000,000
Japan
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Other long-term debt					$ 11,000,000
Japan | Autoliv Nissin Brake Systems
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest rate					0.60%		0.60%
Capital lease arrangements					$ 11,000,000
Interest Rate Swaps
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate on notes and loans					2.50%		2.50%
Nominal volume									$ 60,000,000
Multi-Currency Revolving Credit Facility Agreement
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unused short-term lines of credit					$ 301,000,000			$ 266,000,000
Revolving credit facility amount				$ 1,100,000,000
Line of credit facility maturity period				2021
Number of options to request banks for extension of debt instruments maturity | Option				2
Maturity of debt instruments to be extended on first extension request option, year				2022
Maturity of debt instruments to be extended on second extension request option, year				2023
Utilized first extension option therefore debt instrument maturity period extended			2022
Percentage of commitment fee on undrawn amount					0.08%	0.08%
Percentage of commitment fee as compared to applicable margin rate					35.00%	35.00%
Multi-Currency Revolving Credit Facility Agreement | Syndicated by Banks | Banks Rated A- or Above
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility commitment fee percent					0.225%	0.225%
Fixed Rate Notes
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt repayments					$ 43,000,000	SEK 350
Senior Notes Five Year
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long term debt issued		$ 208,000,000
Interest rate		2.84%
Long term debt maturity period		5 years
Senior Notes Seven Year
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long term debt issued		$ 275,000,000
Interest rate		3.51%
Long term debt maturity period		7 years
Senior Notes Ten Year
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long term debt issued		$ 297,000,000
Interest rate		4.09%
Long term debt maturity period		10 years
Senior Notes Twelve Year
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long term debt issued		$ 285,000,000
Interest rate		4.24%
Long term debt maturity period		12 years
Senior Notes Fifteen Year
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long term debt issued		$ 185,000,000
Interest rate		4.44%
Long term debt maturity period		15 years
U.S. Private Placement Note
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt repayments					105,000,000
Senior notes					60,000,000
Senior Notes
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long-term debt					71,000,000
Commercial Paper | Maximum
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Money market funds					$ 2,000,000,000

[1] Debt as reported in balance sheet.