ALV

Autoliv, Inc.

A Swedish company and one of the world's largest makers of automotive passive safety gear, Autoliv produces the airbags, steering wheels, and seatbelts that protect drivers in nearly every major car brand. It began in 1953 in Vårgårda, Sweden, when brothers Lennart and Stig Lindblad turned a small auto-repair shop toward safety, making their first seatbelt in 1956. The name blends "auto" with the Swedish word "liv," meaning "life"—fitting for a firm whose products save lives on the road.