Leading Manufacturer of Automotive Safety Equipment Available To Discuss the Latest in SUV Safety Equipment; Top U.S. Auto Safety Regulator Today Calls for Automakers to Voluntarily Improve the Safety of SUVs

Who: A high-level Autoliv Inc. (Autoliv) spokesperson is available for comment on the latest automotive safety equipment currently available to make SUVs safer.

Why: At a congressional hearing today, Dr. Jeffrey Runge, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, called for automakers to voluntarily improve the safety of sport utility vehicles.

Government reports have shown that SUVs have design flaws that contribute to fatality rates three times that of cars in rollover accidents. Another SUV safety issue at hand is one of "compatibility" -- how well SUVs hold up in crashes against smaller passenger cars (side-impact crashes).

Many automotive safety devices are available to combat these issues -- such as side-curtain airbags, and a "pre-crash dipping nose," both produced by Autoliv.

Who: Autoliv is the leading manufacturer of safety equipment (seat belts, airbags) to the auto industry. A Swedish company with North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., the company is known as the "safety company" in automotive circles, developing and manufacturing automotive safety systems for all major OEMs in the world.

For an interview with an Autoliv spokesperson, please CONTACT: Susan Ferraro of Franco Public Relations Group, +1-313-567-5046, or ferraro@franco.com , for Autoliv Inc.

PRNewswire -- Feb. 26