Automotive safety systems supplier, Autoliv, has signed agreements with a number of OEMs for the supply of airbag inflators in the wake of the recalls affecting parts supplied by rival supplier Takata.
Defects with airbags manufactured and supplied by Takata were first recorded in April 2013 and since then, approximately 17m vehicles in the US have been identified as being potentially affected, with another 7m having been recalled worldwide. The number of carmakers affected has risen from six to ten and includes BMW, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota.
The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) called for a national recall of vehicles last November.
“We now know that millions of vehicles must be recalled to address defective Takata air bags and our aggressive investigation is far from over,” said NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman. “We’re pushing Takata and all affected manufacturers to issue the recall and to ensure the recalls capture the full scope of the problems.”
Earlier in December, Autoliv said it would be supplying Honda, Takata’s biggest customer, with replacement airbag inflators and building in additional capacity to do so. Of the other nine companies affected, Autoliv has not confirmed which it will be supplying.
The Autoliv agreements mean the supply of 25m airbag inflators over the next two years. The company said it was expanding its capacity and capabilities to meet this additional demand as rapidly as possible.
It is also looking at its aftermarket distribution capabilities to ensure the efficient delivery of the replacement parts.
“In the current difficult situation with a very high level of field actions and recalls in the market we are doing our utmost to support our customers,” said Jan Carlson, chairman, president and CEO of Autoliv. “With quality as our first priority we are assessing the current and upcoming market needs in order to match our delivery capabilities in the best possible way.”
