New Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies	Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies The unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements included herein have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations. The information furnished in the consolidated condensed financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments), considered necessary to present fairly the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of the Company. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. The operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. In preparing these financial statements, management was required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. These estimates and assumptions are based on our historical experience, the terms of existing contracts, our evaluation of trends in the industry, information provided by our customers and suppliers and information available from other outside sources, as appropriate. These estimates and assumptions are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. We are not presently aware of any events or circumstances that would require us to update such estimates and assumptions or revise the carrying value of our assets or liabilities. Our estimates may change, however, as new events occur and additional information is obtained. As a result, actual results may differ significantly from our estimates, and any such differences may be material to our financial statements.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of consolidation The consolidated condensed financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which it has a controlling financial interest. The Company evaluates its relationship with other entities for consolidation and to identify whether such entities are variable interest entities (“VIE”) and to assess whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of such entities. Investments in affiliates in which Gentherm does not have control but does have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for under the equity method. When Gentherm does not have the ability to exercise significant influence (generally when ownership interest is less than 20%), investments in affiliates are measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer. During the second quarter of 2021, the Company’s Automotive segment invested $5,200 for an ownership interest in Carrar Ltd. (“Carrar”), an Israel-based technology developer of advanced thermal management systems for the electric mobility market. The Company determined that Carrar is a VIE; however, the Company does not have a controlling financial interest or have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the investment. Therefore, the Company has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary. Gentherm’s investment in Carrar is measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, and is recorded in Other non-current assets. On July 1, 2021, the Company acquired the medical business unit of Beckmann & Egle Industrieelektronik GmbH (“B&E”), a developer and manufacturer of electronic control units for $2,827. The results of operations of the acquiree are reported within the Company’s Medical segment from the date of acquisition. The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination with the purchase price assigned to inventory, property and equipment and other intangible assets based on their estimated fair values as of the acquisition date. The pro forma effect of the B&E acquisition does not materially impact the Company’s reported results for any period presented, and as a result no pro forma financial statements are presented. On July 22, 2021, the Company’s Automotive segment invested $2,357 for an ownership interest in Forciot Oy (“Forciot”), a technology developer of sensors for touch, motion and force measurement. Gentherm’s investment in Forciot is measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, and is recorded in Other non-current assets.
Revenue Recognition	Revenue Recognition The Company has no material contract assets or contract liabilities as of September 30, 2021. The Company recognizes an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if the benefits of those costs are expected to be realized for a period greater than one year. Total capitalized costs to obtain a contract were $1,996 and $1,805 as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. These amounts are recorded in Other non-current assets and are being amortized into Product revenues over the expected production life of the applicable program.
Impact of COVID-19, Supply Chain Disruptions and Other Matters	Impact of COVID-19, Supply Chain Disruptions and Other Matters The COVID-19 pandemic that began around December 2019 introduced significant volatility to the global economy and had a widespread adverse effect on the global automotive industry in the first half of 2020. In order to respond to the then current industry production environment, the Company closed production at its North American and European manufacturing facilities in late March 2020. In Asia, its manufacturing operations ceased production in February 2020. The Company reopened all its manufacturing facilities by June 1, 2020, in line with industry demand and finished goods levels, and in accordance with local government requirements. Although global automotive industry production has improved relative to the first half of 2020, production remains below recent historic levels. The lingering impacts of COVID-19 into 2021 has impeded global supply chains, resulted in longer lead times and delays in procuring component parts and raw materials, and resulted in inflationary cost increases in certain raw materials, labor and transportation. These broad-based inflationary impacts have negatively impacted the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. Supply shortages of semiconductor chips and other components have resulted in decreases in global automotive vehicle production and significant volatility in customer vehicle production schedules. The Company's semiconductor suppliers, along with most automotive component supply companies that use semiconductors, have been unable to fully meet the vehicle production demands of the OEMs due to events which are outside the Company's control, including but not limited to, the COVID-19 pandemic, the global semiconductor shortage, fires at suppliers’ facilities, significant weather events impacting semiconductor supplier facilities in the southern United States, and other extraordinary events. In response to the global supply chain instability and inflationary cost increases the Company has taken several actions to minimize any potential and actual adverse impacts by working closely with its suppliers and customers and to continue to closely monitor the availability of semiconductor microchips and other component parts and raw materials, customer vehicle production schedules and any other supply chain inefficiencies that may arise. The consequences of the pandemic and adverse impact to the global economy continue to evolve. Accordingly, the future adverse impact on our business and financial statements remains subject to significant uncertainty as of the date of this filing.
Segment Reporting	Segment Reporting The Company has two reportable segments: Automotive, which includes automotive climate comfort systems, automotive cable systems, battery performance solutions and automotive electronic and software systems; and Medical. In 2020, the previously-named Industrial reporting segment was renamed the Medical reporting segment to reflect the patient temperature management business as the focus and strategic direction of this segment. Also, during 2020, the advanced research and development costs not associated with the Medical segment were presented within the Automotive segment, as the advanced research and development organization primarily supports the Automotive related research and development activities following the divestitures of our former remote power generation systems business, Gentherm Global Power Technologies (“GPT”) and our former environmental test equipment business, Cincinnati Sub Zero industrial chamber business (“CSZ-IC”).
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Income Taxes In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes". This ASU simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions previously included in the guidance. In addition, the ASU amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 as of January 1, 2021 and there was no significant impact on its financial statements and related disclosures as a result.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted	Reference Rate Reform In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting”. ASU 2020-04 provides practical expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The expedients and exceptions provided by the amendments in this update apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or another reference rate expected to be discontinued as a result of reference rate reform. These amendments are not applicable to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022. In January 2021, the FASB subsequently issued ASU 2021-01, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Scope” to clarify that certain optional expedients and exceptions in Topic 848 for contract modifications and hedge accounting apply to derivatives that are affected by the discounting transition. ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2021-01 is effective as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022 and may be applied retrospectively to contract modifications and hedging relationships from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or on a prospective basis to new modifications from any date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to the date of the issuance of a final update, up to the date that financial statements are available to be issued. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

The unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements included herein have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations. The information furnished in the consolidated condensed financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments), considered necessary to present fairly the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of the Company. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. The operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year.

In preparing these financial statements, management was required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. These estimates and assumptions are based on our historical experience, the terms of existing contracts, our evaluation of trends in the industry, information provided by our customers and suppliers and information available from other outside sources, as appropriate. These estimates and assumptions are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. We are not presently aware of any events or circumstances that would require us to update such estimates and assumptions or revise the carrying value of our assets or liabilities. Our estimates may change, however, as new events occur and additional information is obtained. As a result, actual results may differ significantly from our estimates, and any such differences may be material to our financial statements.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of consolidation

The consolidated condensed financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which it has a controlling financial interest. The Company evaluates its relationship with other entities for consolidation and to identify whether such entities are variable interest entities (“VIE”) and to assess whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of such entities. Investments in affiliates in which Gentherm does not have control but does have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for under the equity method. When Gentherm does not have the ability to exercise significant influence (generally when ownership interest is less than 20%), investments in affiliates are measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer.

During the second quarter of 2021, the Company’s Automotive segment invested $5,200 for an ownership interest in Carrar Ltd. (“Carrar”), an Israel-based technology developer of advanced thermal management systems for the electric mobility market. The Company determined that Carrar is a VIE; however, the Company does not have a controlling financial interest or have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the investment. Therefore, the Company has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary. Gentherm’s investment in Carrar is measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, and is recorded in Other non-current assets.

On July 1, 2021, the Company acquired the medical business unit of Beckmann & Egle Industrieelektronik GmbH (“B&E”), a developer and manufacturer of electronic control units for $2,827. The results of operations of the acquiree are reported within the Company’s Medical segment from the date of acquisition. The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination with the purchase price assigned to inventory, property and equipment and other intangible assets based on their estimated fair values as of the acquisition date. The pro forma effect of the B&E acquisition does not materially impact the Company’s reported results for any period presented, and as a result no pro forma financial statements are presented.

On July 22, 2021, the Company’s Automotive segment invested $2,357 for an ownership interest in Forciot Oy (“Forciot”), a technology developer of sensors for touch, motion and force measurement. Gentherm’s investment in Forciot is measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, and is recorded in Other non-current assets.

Revenue Recognition

The Company has no material contract assets or contract liabilities as of September 30, 2021.

The Company recognizes an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if the benefits of those costs are expected to be realized for a period greater than one year. Total capitalized costs to obtain a contract were $1,996 and $1,805 as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. These amounts are recorded in Other non-current assets and are being amortized into Product revenues over the expected production life of the applicable program.

Impact of COVID-19, Supply Chain Disruptions and Other Matters

The COVID-19 pandemic that began around December 2019 introduced significant volatility to the global economy and had a widespread adverse effect on the global automotive industry in the first half of 2020. In order to respond to the then current industry production environment, the Company closed production at its North American and European manufacturing facilities in late March 2020. In Asia, its manufacturing operations ceased production in February 2020. The Company reopened all its manufacturing facilities by June 1, 2020, in line with industry demand and finished goods levels, and in accordance with local government requirements. Although global automotive industry production has improved relative to the first half of 2020, production remains below recent historic levels.

The lingering impacts of COVID-19 into 2021 has impeded global supply chains, resulted in longer lead times and delays in procuring component parts and raw materials, and resulted in inflationary cost increases in certain raw materials, labor and transportation. These broad-based inflationary impacts have negatively impacted the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

Supply shortages of semiconductor chips and other components have resulted in decreases in global automotive vehicle production and significant volatility in customer vehicle production schedules. The Company's semiconductor suppliers, along with most automotive component supply companies that use semiconductors, have been unable to fully meet the vehicle production demands of the OEMs due to events which are outside the Company's control, including but not limited to, the COVID-19 pandemic, the global semiconductor shortage, fires at suppliers’ facilities, significant weather events impacting semiconductor supplier facilities in the southern United States, and other extraordinary events.

In response to the global supply chain instability and inflationary cost increases the Company has taken several actions to minimize any potential and actual adverse impacts by working closely with its suppliers and customers and to continue to closely monitor the availability of semiconductor microchips and other component parts and raw materials, customer vehicle production schedules and any other supply chain inefficiencies that may arise. The consequences of the pandemic and adverse impact to the global economy continue to evolve. Accordingly, the future adverse impact on our business and financial statements remains subject to significant uncertainty as of the date of this filing.

Segment Reporting

The Company has two reportable segments: Automotive, which includes automotive climate comfort systems, automotive cable systems, battery performance solutions and automotive electronic and software systems; and Medical.

In 2020, the previously-named Industrial reporting segment was renamed the Medical reporting segment to reflect the patient temperature management business as the focus and strategic direction of this segment. Also, during 2020, the advanced research and development costs not associated with the Medical segment were presented within the Automotive segment, as the advanced research and development organization primarily supports the Automotive related research and development activities following the divestitures of our former remote power generation systems business, Gentherm Global Power Technologies (“GPT”) and our former environmental test equipment business, Cincinnati Sub Zero industrial chamber business (“CSZ-IC”).

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Income Taxes

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes". This ASU simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions previously included in the guidance. In addition, the ASU amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 as of January 1, 2021 and there was no significant impact on its financial statements and related disclosures as a result.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Reference Rate Reform

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting”. ASU 2020-04 provides practical expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The expedients and exceptions provided by the amendments in this update apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or another reference rate expected to be discontinued as a result of reference rate reform. These amendments are not applicable to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022. In January 2021, the FASB subsequently issued ASU 2021-01, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Scope” to clarify that certain optional expedients and exceptions in Topic 848 for contract modifications and hedge accounting apply to derivatives that are affected by the discounting transition. ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2021-01 is effective as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022 and may be applied retrospectively to contract modifications and hedging relationships from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or on a prospective basis to new modifications from any date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to the date of the issuance of a final update, up to the date that financial statements are available to be issued. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for segment reporting.

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