Autoliv Settles Three U.S. Antitrust Lawsuits

Autoliv Inc. has agreed to pay a combined $65 million (€48 million) to settle three class-action lawsuits in the U.S. that claim the company fixed prices on safety equipment, thus harming carmakers, auto dealers and vehicle purchasers.

The company notes that it has not admitted liability. It says it settled the cases in a Detroit court to avoid uncertainty, risk, expense and the distraction of further class action litigation.

Autoliv pleaded guilty in 2012 and paid a $15 million criminal fine in the U.S. for fixing prices on airbags, seatbelts and steering wheels sold between 2006 and 2011.

The settlement was part of a continuing international probe of price fixing that has so far resulted in some $2.3 billion (€1.7 billion) in fines against 27 companies in the U.S. alone.