Autoliv, the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, and the Fiat Group's Magneti Marelli division, a leading global supplier of advanced technology systems and components to the automotive industry, have today signed a cooperation agreement for advanced automotive safety system electronics. Today's agreement mainly includes collaboration in engineering, manufacturing and marketing of automatic emergency systems and other so-called telematics systems as well as the manufacturing of Electronic Control Units (ECU) for airbags.

Telematics systems are being installed in a rapidly increasing number of advanced vehicles. The basic version of a telematics system consists of an "E-call", which is an automatic crash notification function that calls an emergency center immediately after a serious accident to get a rescue team to the site of a crash even if the driver is unconscious. There is a proposal to make such systems mandatory on all European vehicles by 2009. These systems could also include a Stolen Vehicle Tracking (SVT) function, car-integrated telephones and several hands-free functions.

Autoliv and Magneti Marelli will, as a first step, focus on a new platform of telematics systems for the mass market. Currently, telematics systems are typically offered as optional items in luxury and premium-end vehicles and, as a result, the market is relatively small. Magneti Marelli and Autoliv are the combined European sales leader in this market. In addition to telematics, the two companies will start cooperating in electronic control units (ECU) for airbags. Autoliv is one of the sales and technology leaders in this field, while Magneti Marelli offers production capacity and local presence in a large number of markets. According to the agreement the two companies will also explore the possibilities to expand the coopera­tion into other areas of advanced automotive safety system electronics where there are opportunities to leverage Magneti Marelli's strength in instrument clusters, displays and navigation systems with Autoliv's strength in advanced safety systems.
 

"By bringing together our technology and Autoliv's technology, we are providing vehicle manufacturers world-class product designs and state-of-the-art innovations in electronic safety systems," said Alessandro Cavazzini, President of Magneti Marelli Sistemi Elettronici, the signing subsidiary from Magneti Marelli.

"At Autoliv we see this as an opportunity to enhance the superiority of both companies' products at the same time as we are growing sales and reducing development costs," declared Lars-Gunnar Skötte, President of Autoliv Electronics, the signing subsidiary from Autoliv.

Magneti Marelli

Magneti Marelli is an international group leading in developing and manufacturing of hi-tech automotive systems and components. With 45 plants and 25 R&D centers in 15 countries, a workforce of 20,000 and a turnover of €3 billion in 2004, Magneti Marelli ranks among the major automotive suppliers in Europe, North and South America and Far East in the business areas: Automotive Lighting (front and rear lamps), Electronic Systems (instrument clusters, navigation systems, on-board telematics), Suspension Systems and Shock Absorbers, Exhaust Systems and Motorsport (specific electronic systems and devices for motor racing).

Autoliv Inc

Autoliv Inc develops and manufactures automotive safety systems for all major automotive manufacturers in the world. Together with its joint-ventures, Autoliv has 80 factories with 40.000 employees in 30 vehicle-producing countries. In addition, the Company has development and technical centers in six countries around the world. Sales amounted to $6.1 billion in 2004. The Company's shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and its Swedish Depository Receipts on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.