Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Segments

The Company has two operating segments, Electronics and Brake Systems. Electronics includes all electronics resources and expertise, Restraint Control Systems and Active Safety products, and Brake Systems provides brake control and actuation systems

Basis of Accounting

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for Veoneer do not include all of the information and notes required by the accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (GAAP) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) and disclosures considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. For further information, refer to Veoneer’s Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 and corresponding notes in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC on February 21, 2020. Certain amounts in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and associated notes may not reconcile due to rounding. All percentages have been calculated using unrounded amounts

New Accounting Standards

New Accounting Standards

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held and requires enhanced disclosures regarding significant estimates and judgments used in estimating credit losses. ASU 2016-13 is effective for public business entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and earlier adoption is permitted for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2020 and applied a loss rate model to compute the expected credit loss allowance. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 does not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18 Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808), Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606, which (1) clarifies that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for under ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account, (2) adds unit-of-account guidance in Topic 808 to align with Topic 606 when an entity is assessing whether the collaborative arrangement, or a part of the arrangement, is within the scope of Topic 606, (3) precludes presenting transactions together with revenue when those transactions involve collaborative arrangement participants that are not directly related to third parties and are not customers. The Company is required to adopt ASU 2018-18 in the first quarter of 2020. The adoption of ASU 2018-18 does not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2018-13 removes the requirement to disclose: the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy; the policy for timing of transfers between levels; and the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 requires disclosure of changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income (loss) for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements held at the end of the reporting period and the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements. The amendments on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is required to adopt ASU 2018-18 in the first quarter of 2020. The adoption of ASU 2018-13 does not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 affects any entity that enters into a lease, with some specified scope exceptions. For public business entities, the amendments in ASU 2016-02 are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 in the annual period beginning January 1, 2019. The Company applied the modified retrospective transition method and elected the transition option to use the effective date January 1, 2019, as the date of initial application. The Company did not adjust its comparative period financial statements for effects of ASU 2016-02, and has not made the new required lease disclosures for periods before the effective date. The Company has recognized its cumulative effect transition adjustment as of the effective date. In addition, the Company has elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things, have allowed the Company to carry forward the historical lease classification. The adoption of the new standard resulted in recording operating lease assets and lease liabilities of approximately $75 million as of January 1, 2019. The adoption of the new lease standard did not have a material impact on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations or Statements of Cash Flows.

Accounting Standards Issued But Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General (Topic 715-20): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. ASU 2018-14 modifies the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other post-retirement plans. ASU 2018-14 removes the requirements to disclose: amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year; the amount and timing of plan assets expected to be returned to the employer; and the effects of a one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates. ASU 2018-14 requires disclosure of an explanation of the reasons for significant gains and losses related to changes in the benefit obligation for the period. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted for all entities and the amendments in this update are required to be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating this guidance to determine the impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company uses a three-level fair value hierarchy that categorizes assets and liabilities measured at fair value based on the observability of the inputs utilized in the valuation. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to the quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities and lowest priority to unobservable inputs.

Level 1 - Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on unadjusted quoted market prices for identical assets and liabilities in an active market that the Company has the ability to access.

Level 2 - Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or model inputs that are observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3 - Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.

Assets which are valued at net asset value per share ("NAV"), or its equivalent, as a practical expedient are reported outside the fair value hierarchy, but are included in the total assets for reporting and reconciliation purposes.

Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. The fair value measurements are generally determined using unobservable inputs and are classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. These assets include long-lived assets, intangible assets and investments in affiliates, which may be written down to fair value as a result of impairment. The Company has determined that the fair value measurements included in each of these assets and liabilities rely primarily on Company-specific inputs and the Company’s assumptions about the use of the assets and settlements of liabilities, as observable inputs are not available. The Company has determined that each of these fair value measurements reside within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. To determine the fair value of long-lived assets, the Company utilizes the projected cash flows expected to be generated by the long-lived assets, then discounts the future cash flows over the expected life of the long-lived assets.