Sustainable Polymers with Autoliv

Autoliv consumes more than 70 tons of polymers per year, excluding textiles. To reach our 2040 emission targets and fulfill the increasing needs of our customers, we currently need to offset the emissions associated with our polymer use. With this opportunity, we aim to develop a new, more sustainable generation of safety products such as airbags, steering wheels, and seatbelts. More specifically, we want to reduce the GHG intensity and other sustainability impacts, such as land use of our polymers with primary attributes. A desired solution could involve using more sustainable virgin materials and recycling the materials more efficiently.

Preferred partners must also be able to demonstrate the required performance in an automotive interior context and show the scalability of their process in very large-scale serial production. We are open to investigating a wide range of high-performing polymers. The challenge is to have a primary attribute equal to today’s performance that can be offered to Autoliv customers as a premium product with more design options.

With Autoliv or a selected partner, this project has the potential for a disruptive change, starting at a fundamental level but with an outlook toward large-scale industrialization. With our yearly polymer use of 70 tons or more, there is also a significant business opportunity. A selected partner will have the chance to utilize our vast expertise, from material science to large-scale industrial manufacturing.

For an interested partner to be considered, they must demonstrate fundamental innovation and the ability to scale up to large series production without compromising product quality. After a successful feasibility phase to ensure our requirements are met, we aim for 2-3 years to market for the initial launch.