| Contingent Liabilities | 9. CONTINGE NT LIABILITIES Legal Proceedings Various claims, lawsuits, and proceedings are pending or threatened against the Company and/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, and with the exception of potential future losses resulting from the antitrust proceedings described below, 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. As a result of the outcome of the European Commission investigation of anti-competitive behavior among suppliers of occupant safety systems that the Company resolved in 2019 (the "EC investigation"), the Company is subject to multiple subsequent civil disputes with non-governmental third parties stemming from the same facts and circumstances underlying the EC investigation. The Company is also involved in civil litigation in the UK with respect to alleged anti-competitive behavior that occurred over a decade ago. The Company believes these allegations are unfounded and are vigorously contesting them. These disputes could result in significant expenses as well as unfavorable outcomes that could have a material adverse impact on our customer relationships, business prospects, reputation, operating results, cash flows or financial condition, and our insurance would likely not mitigate such impact. The Company cannot predict the duration, scope, or ultimate outcome of any such disputes and is unable to estimate the loss or a range of loss, or predict the reporting periods in which any such loss may be recorded. 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, 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. Recall decisions regarding the Company’s products may require a significant amount of judgment by us, our customers and safety regulators and are influenced by a variety of factors. Once a recall has been made, the cost of a recall is also subject to a significant amount of judgment and discussions between the Company and its customers. 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 in either a warranty or a recall situation. Accordingly, the future costs of warranty or recall claims by the 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. As noted in Note 7 above, as of September 30, 2024, the Company has accrued $ 77 million for total product related liabilities. The majority of the total product liability accrual as of September 30, 2024, relates to recalls, which are generally covered by insurance. Insurance receivables for such recall related liabilities total $ 58 million as of September 30, 2024. Product Liability: Autoliv and some of its subsidiaries have been named as one of several defendants in a consolidated class action lawsuit in a multi-district litigation (In Re: ARC Airbag Inflators Products Liability Litigation MDL, No. 3051) in the Northern District of Georgia. The plaintiffs in the multi-district litigation (the "ARC Inflator Class Action") brought claims for fraud, breach of warranty, and violations of consumer protection and trade practices stemming from ARC inflators included in airbag modules that Autoliv or its subsidiaries allegedly supplied after Autoliv acquired certain Delphi assets (the “Delphi Acquisition”) in December 2009. The Company denies these allegations. Autoliv is not aware of any performance issues regarding ARC inflators included with its airbags at the directions of its customers that it shipped following the Delphi Acquisition. The proceedings remain ongoing. The Company has determined pursuant to ASC 450 that a loss is reasonably possible with respect to the ARC Inflator Class Action. However, the Company continues to evaluate this matter, no accrual has been made, and no estimated range of potential loss can be determined at this time. The Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the ARC Inflator Class Action. On September 5, 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) issued an initial decision to recall approximately 52 million frontal driver and passenger airbag inflators manufactured by ARC and Delphi Automotive Systems because NHTSA determined that the airbag inflators contain a safety defect resulting in field ruptures. Some of the ARC inflators included in the airbag modules that Autoliv or its subsidiaries supplied after the Delphi Acquisition were included in such initial decision. NHTSA has yet to release its final decision. If NHTSA's final decision results in a recall, it is anticipated that such decision will be challenged in US federal court. The Company has determined pursuant to ASC 450 that a loss is reasonably possible with respect to the NHTSA ARC recall. However, the Company continues to evaluate this matter, no accrual has been made, and no estimated range of potential loss can be determined at this time. The Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the NHTSA ARC recall. Specific Recalls: In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company was made aware of a potential recall by American Honda Motor Co. and the recall of approximately 449,000 vehicles relating to the malfunction of front seat belt buckles was announced on March 9, 2023 (the “Honda Buckle Recall”). The Company determined pursuant to ASC 450 that a loss with respect to the Honda Buckle Recall is probable and accrued an amount that is reflected in the total product liability accrual in the fourth quarter of 2020, increased the accrual in the fourth quarter of 2021 and reduced the accrual in the fourth quarter of 2023 based on vehicle repair cost data. Following the accrual reduction in the fourth quarter of 2023, the amount by which the product liability accrual exceeds the product liability insurance receivable with respect to the Honda Buckle Recall is $ 10 million and includes self-insurance retention costs and deductibles. The ultimate loss to the Company of the Honda Buckle Recall could be materially different from the amount the Company has accrued. Volvo Car USA, LLC (together with its affiliates, “Volvo”) has recalled approximately 762,000 vehicles relating to the malfunction of inflators produced by ZF (the “ZF Inflator Recall”). The recalled ZF inflators were included in airbag modules supplied by the Company only to Volvo. The recall commenced in November 2020 and later expanded in September 2021. Because the Company’s airbags were involved with the ZF Inflator Recall, the Company has determined pursuant to ASC 450 that a loss is reasonably possible with respect to the ZF Inflator Recall. The Company continues to evaluate this matter with Volvo and ZF and no accrual has been made. Although the Company currently estimates a range of $ 0 to $ 43 million with respect to this potential loss, the Company anticipates that any losses net of insurance claims and claims against ZF will be immaterial. 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 above summarizes the change in the balance sheet position of the product-related liabilities. |
