Leading insights in Automated Driving and Driver Behavior to complement Autoliv’s Advisory board
(Stockholm, Sweden, Dec 8, 2015) – – – Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV and SSE: ALIVsdb), the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, strengthens its capabilities with yet another effort towards developing leading knowledge within Driver Behavior, Autonomous Driving and Real Life Safety. The new Advisory board presented today welcomes PhD Chris Urmson – Director of Google’s Autonomous Driving project, as well as PhD Natasha Merat – group leader in Safety and Technology at University of Leeds.
Autoliv has a long-standing tradition of leveraging external competences and of forming close ties with distinguished persons in order to add to the company’s development. For instance, the idea that morphed into the ground-breaking innovations of side airbags and inflatable curtains was a direct result of an idea sprung from a meeting of Autoliv’s very first Advisory board, back in 1984.
Today, Autoliv’s Research Advisory Board consists of seven people, with backgrounds ranging from technical development to research and with deep knowledge within e.g. Biomechanics. With Chris Urmson and Natasha Merat onboard, Autoliv gives an indication of their own view of the direction of a company leading within automotive safety systems:
“It is no secret that the developments within autonomous driving are going to change traffic behaviors and entail completely new challenges. I am very glad that we have managed to close ties with two great people within automated driving and driver behavior”, says Jan Carlson, Autoliv’s Chairman, President and CEO.
The Research Advisory Board formally meets once per year, however the greatest value lies in members exchanging ideas, theories and insights from their respective fields on an ongoing basis. A fruitful labor, which results in academic progress as well as in new products and strategies for the automotive safety market.
As of today, the Research Advisory Board consists of:
- New! Natasha Merat – PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor and Group leader in Safety and Technology at University of Leeds. Key interest in Human factors of highly automated driving and Driver behavior, especially driver distraction and the influence of new technologies in driving.
- New! Chris Urmson – PhD in Robotics, Former faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and Director of Google’s self-driving car project.
- Jeff Crandall – PhD in Mechanical Engineering (1994), Associate Professor and Director of Center of Applied Biomechanics, University of Virginia. Key interest in biomechanics, computational mechanics and vehicle crashworthiness.
- Jan Olsson – MSc Mechanical Engineering. Autoliv Vice President Engineering (1997-2005) and Research (2005-2014).
- Jan Carlson – Autoliv’s Chairman, President and CEO.
- Johan Löfvenholm – Group Vice President Product & Process Development.
- Ola Boström – Senior Director, Autoliv Research.
See attached photo in the press release.
Inquiries:
Thomas Jönsson, Group Vice President Communications. Tel +46 (0)8 58 72 06 27
About Autoliv
Autoliv, Inc., the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, develops and manufactures automotive safety systems for all major automotive manufacturers in the world. Together with its joint ventures, Autoliv has lose to 80 facilities with more than 60,000 employees in 28 countries. In addition, the Company has ten technical centers in nine countries around the world, with 21 test tracks, more than any other automotive safety supplier.Sales in 2014 amounted to US $9.2 billion. The Company's shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ALV) and its Swedish Depository Receipts on the OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm (ALIV sdb). For more information about Autoliv, please visit our company website at www.autoliv.com.
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This report contains statements that are not historical facts but rather forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include those that address activities, events or developments that Autoliv, Inc. or its management believes or anticipates may occur in the future. All forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations, various assumptions and data available from third parties. Our expectations and assumptions are expressed in good faith and we believe there is a reasonable basis for them. However, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize or prove to be correct as forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual future results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the future results, performance or achievements expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those set out in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events. For any forward-looking statements contained in this or any other document, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and we assume no obligation to update any such statement.
