1. Home
2. Supplier Database
3. Major Suppliers
4. Aptiv PLC (Formerly Delphi Automotive PLC)
5. Aptiv PLC (Formerly Delphi Automotive PLC) Business Report FY ended Dec. 2018

Aptiv PLC (Formerly Delphi Automotive PLC) Business Report FY ended Dec. 2018

Factors
1) Net Sales
-The Company’s net sales during the year ended December 31, 2018 were USD 14.4 billion , an increase of 12% compared to 2017 . This compares to total global OEM production decreases of 1% in 2018 . The increase in total net sales is primarily attributable to continued increased volumes in all major regions, as well as incremental sales as a result of our acquisitions of KUM in June 2018 and Winchester in October 2018. Our overall lean cost structure, along with above-market sales growth in all major regions, has enabled us to maintain strong levels of operating income.

Acquisitions

-Completed the acquisition of Winchester Interconnect, a leading provider of advanced interconnect solutions for harsh environment applications, from an affiliate of Snow Phipps Group. (From a press release on October 24, 2018)

-Completed its acquisition of KUM, a provider of highly engineered connectors and cable management solutions for a range of harsh-environment automotive applications. It will strengthen Aptiv leadership position in Asia Pacific and engineered components. Headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea, KUM enhances Aptiv's global market position and expands Aptiv's range of specialized connectors and cable management solutions. With a highly complementary footprint and product portfolio, KUM will be fully integrated into Aptiv's existing Asia Pacific operations. (From a press release on June 14, 2018)

Business Partnership

-Announced a commercial partnership agreement with Affectiva, a Boston-based MIT Media Lab spin-off and leader in human perception artificial intelligence (AI). The partnership will deliver innovative, scalable software - derived from deep learning architectures - to enhance perception capabilities in advanced safety solutions and reimagine the future of the in-cabin experience. To further support the commercial partnership, Aptiv made a minority investment in Affectiva. Affectiva's patented software is the first multi-modal interior sensing solution to unobtrusively identify, in real time, complex cognitive states of vehicle occupants. (From a press release on January 3, 2019)

-Partnered with a major US city to launch the world’s first Automated Mobility on Demand (AMoD) application using automated buses. The partnership between Aptiv and US city will augment an existing bus route to make it smarter, more efficient, and more effective for residents. The launch won't be a pilot, it will be a real service, helping real customers. Aptiv is currently in validation phases and plan to launch in early 2019. (From a press release on January 8, 2018)

Recent Developments

-Announced the relocation of its global headquarters to Dublin from the United Kingdom. Ireland’s favourable regulatory environment, Dublin’s continued growth as a vibrant technology hub, and access to top universities and the city’s public infrastructure were important factors in Aptiv’s final selection. Aptiv’s global headquarters will employ hundreds of professionals in information technology, supply chain management and finance. (IDA Ireland press release on May 2, 2018)
 

Contracts

-Announced a plan to supply an integrated cockpit controller to Great Wall Motor Company Limited for new-generation Haval and Wey brands vehicles. Aptiv is going to provide a single-chip intelligent cockpit solution as a platform to power multiple cockpit dashboards such as a full-color liquid crystal instrumental panel, a head-up display, and a center stack at the same time. This solution also integrates function-safety and network-security systems of different levels. It's cheaper than conventional multi-chip computing platforms, can be multi-screen interactive and offers omnidirectional intelligent network experience. For example, the solution can support an interactive control over an instrumental panel and a center stack, a head-up display and an instrumental panel, or onboard Internet and a center stack. (From a press release on August 6, 2018)
 

Awards

-Announced that it was recognized by Automotive News as a 2018 PACE Award winner for its selective metal coating technology, marking the 20th time Aptiv has earned this honor. Aptiv devised a new way to prevent galvanic corrosion and ensure stability of electrical and mechanical terminal connections for aluminum wiring by using an innovative technology called Selective Metal Coating (SMC). The SMC Terminal technology allows for the replacement of copper wiring with aluminum wiring, providing an overall reduction in the weight of the vehicle. (From a press release on April 9, 2018)

Outlook

-In the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019, the Company expects to have sales between USD 14.6 and 15.0 billion, as well as an operating income between USD 1.72 and 1.80 billion.

-The Company have entered into a collaborative arrangement with Mobileye N.V. to develop a complete turn-key fully autonomous driving platform for their OEM customers and mobility partners, with the goal of being application ready in 2019 and production ready in the 2021 to 2022 time frame. 

R&D Structure

-As of December 31, 2018, the Company has approximately 18,600 employees working in research and development.

R&D Facilities

-As of December 31, 2018, the Company has 15 major technical centers across the world:

• North America: 8 facilities
• Europe, Middle East and Africa: 2 facilities
• Asia Pacific: 5 facilities

-Announced the grand opening of its Las Vegas Technical Center three weeks ahead of CES 2019. The 130,000-square-foot facility joins Boston, Singapore and Pittsburgh as one of Aptiv's major autonomous vehicle hubs, and is an all-inclusive facility for vehicle operations, R&D, data management and technology demonstration center for customers. Aptiv's technology has been supporting public rides since May 2018 through an ongoing partnership with Lyft, enabling visitors and residents to hail an Aptiv AV to and from more than 1,600 destinations in and around Las Vegas. To date, the program has completed over 25,000 paid autonomous rides. (From a press release on December 17, 2018)

-Announced that it will renovate its existing mobility R&D facility in Troy, Michigan with an investment of USD 20 million. The company will expand the facility to seat approximately 500 engineers and support staff. (From MEDC press release on November 27, 2018)

-In September, Aptiv Electronics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. completed the construction of a new building and the expansion works for its research and development (R&D) center. The company also opened an all-new 5G V2E (vehicle to everything) lab in the new building in partnership with China Telecom Corporation Limited. This lab is designed to verify, measure and test V2V (vehicle to vehicle) and V2P (vehicle to person) communication technology. Aptiv Electronics (Suzhou) opened the original R&D center in 2014. It focuses on active safety solutions, Internet and network security, infotainment systems and the development of user-experience software and hardware. (From media reports on September 21 and 22, 2018)

-Announced the opening of a new technology center in Boston's Seaport district in the U.S. The new Boston facility joins technology centers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Mountain View, California. The Company selected Boston for its new technical center due to its technically proficient workforce, world-class universities, and the 'Go Boston 2030' technology initiative. nuTonomy, an autonomous vehicle start-up recently acquired by the Company, also recently launched an automated driving pilot program in the Boston Seaport district. (From a press release on December 12, 2017)

Technology developments

-Aptiv Connected Services announced the availability of its Edge-enabled Cloud technology to help data be used more efficiently. The Edge-enabled Cloud provides the data strategy and technology to turn big data into a bigger opportunity and provide OEMs increased ROI on their connected vehicle investment. The Edge-enabled Cloud extracts high-value information by aggregating and analyzing data at the extremes of the network in real time, working to eliminate the need to transmit mountains of raw data back to the OEM, thereby dramatically reducing data transfer and storage costs. Because only high-value data ends up in the cloud, Aptiv can then coalesce and distribute insights faster, allowing OEM engineers to fix problems faster. (From a press release on October 19, 2018)

-Informed that it is developing high-voltage portfolio, which will enable the next generation of electrification of vehicles – whether it's an e-bike, passenger car or semi-truck. This portfolio will handle high-voltages for what's needed for full electrification in the heavy-duty CV market. Aptiv is designing this portfolio to be high performing, and able to be mass produced to hit larger volumes at a lower cost. Currently, its high-power comprehensive portfolio covers the entire space of electrified passenger vehicles and light duty trucks. Applications range from electrified powertrains to accessory devices to battery packs. It has coaxial cables assemblies, sealed and shielded connection systems, and power distribution solutions to handle high-voltage need. (From a press release on August 29, 2018)

-Informed that it provides a full suite of technology and systems integration expertise in four key areas: advanced safety, user experience, data and power distribution and connected services. Aptiv will display these technologies at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018 in Hanover. Its active safety system engaged a full brake intervention on a truck and prevented a rear-end collision. The automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology reacted faster than the driver, giving him that extra half-second. It has developed a Lane Departure Warning system that alert drivers if they veer off course. Blind Spot Information systems that use radar to detect otherwise hidden bicycles or pedestrians are all being deployed to decrease the severity of crashes or prevent accidents completely. Aptiv offers Multi-Layer Display, or MLD, technology that combines intelligent information delivery with time-sensitive safety benefits so drivers can quickly and easily see contextual information. (From a press release on August 23, 2018)

-Announced that a fleet of 30 self-driving cars deployed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in partnership with on-demand transportation company Lyft, has completed 5,000 paid rides since the vehicles were offered to the public last May. The self-driving hardware and software is developed by Aptiv, while the ride requests and payments are handled by Lyft. Each car in the program has a backup driver in case the system fails, but the two companies did not reveal how many disengagements, when the vehicle forces the driver to take the wheel, they have recorded to date, nor would they disclose the total miles driven. Lyft has also worked with NuTonomy, a subsidiary of Aptiv, on a self-driving pilot in Boston, Massachusetts, which has since ended. (From a press release on August 22, 2018)

-Announced that it would produce advanced driver assistance systems for the electric vehicle (EV) platform of GAC New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. To be specific, Aptiv will offer the Guangzhou-based new energy vehicle maker the integrated solutions covering software, hardware as well as sensors and computing platform, which involves such products as the intelligent front-view camera co-developed with Mobileye, mid-range radar, short-range radar, active safety multi-domain controllers, driver drowsiness monitoring system as well as relevant software and algorithms. The system provided could endow GAC NE's next-generation EVs with a variety of advanced drive assistance functions, such as automatic cruise in traffic congestion or on the highway.  (From a release on August 21, 2018)

-Announced that it has created a flexible software framework with a tailor-made computing, data and power distribution network. It’s flexible, scalable and meets all of the required safety standards. Aptiv explained that vehicles today are packed with features – including everything from active safety and infotainment to autonomous driving systems. The only limiting factor to these features is the vehicle's architecture, which is the relationship between its software, hardware, and computing power. Aptiv's smart mobility architecture manages that. Aptiv's smart vehicle architecture has three layers of protection. Its approach to system design considers power failure, network failure and even computer failure. It also has the ability to dynamically re-route and power network traffic and even decision making to bring an autonomous car to a safe stop. (From a press release on January 11, 2018)