Seat belt and car safety systems maker Autoliv Inc. reported sharply higher second-quarter profits on Thursday, outdoing expectations and impressing analysts with solid operating margins, the Detroit News said.

The paper added that the Swedish company posted a 36% rise in net profit to $71.2 million in the three months to June 30, thanks to record sales, while pre-tax profits for the period, at $US108 million, were well ahead of the $88 million analysts had counted on.