Autoliv, the world-wide leader in automotive safety systems, has established an agreement with BMW to supply safety electronics, in addition to the airbags, seat belts and steering wheels Autoliv currently supplies the German car manufacturer.

The agreement includes a new ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) from ELMOS Semiconductor AG that will be part of a new safety system currently being developed by BMW. The new system is expected to be launched in model year 2003 in a new vehicle. This contract represents annual sales of $30 million for this vehicle. In addition, the alliance is expected to include other new products and future designs.

“We are honored and proud to have been selected by such a leading and prestigious car manufacturer as BMW to be its partner for advanced safety electronics,” said Jan Carlson, President of Autoliv Electronics.

“It’s a recognition of our technological leadership in complete safety systems for motor vehicles.”

Autoliv Electronics is a division of Autoliv Inc. with more than 1,000 employees and sales last year of approximately $200 million. Operations are located in Sweden, France and the U.S.. For more than ten years, Autoliv Electronics has developed and supplied safety electronics – mainly electronic control units (ECU) for airbags – to leading vehicle manufacturers worldwide. Besides new, more advanced airbag ECUs, the product development of the Autoliv Electronics division is focused on smart airbag systems with occupant sensing systems, on pre-crash sensing systems, as well as on post-crash mayday systems and other telematics systems.