Autoliv Pleads Guilty in U.S. to Price Fixing

Autoliv Inc. has agreed to pay a $14.5 million fine and plead guilty in U.S. federal court in Detroit to conspiring to fix prices of seatbelts, airbags, and steering wheels between 2006 and 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The settlement involves selling parts at inflated prices to carmakers in the U.S. and elsewhere. Autoliv says the agreement ends its legal exposure in the U.S. but does not shield the company from a continuing probe by the European Commission.

The Autoliv settlement is the latest result of an ongoing investigation of auto suppliers by government authorities in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. The Autoliv case is the first to involve occupant safety systems.