What Nexteer Automotive makes

Nexteer Automotive designs and manufactures steering and driveline systems for passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and new energy vehicles. The company's primary product line is electric power steering (EPS), which it has shipped in volume since 1999 and which by its own count has crossed 70 million cumulative units produced. EPS comes in column-assist, rack-assist, and pinion-assist configurations, covering vehicles from small urban hatchbacks to light commercial platforms. For heavier vehicles and legacy programs still running hydraulic architectures, the company continues to supply hydraulic power steering as well.

The product portfolio has expanded significantly in the last decade. Steering columns and intermediate shafts are a substantial standalone business, shipping to OEM assembly plants globally. The driveline division produces half shafts and propeller shafts. The software and ADAS group has grown into a named entity, producing a vehicle health management and road-surface-detection platform the company calls MotionIQ, alongside brake-to-steer capability, steering cybersecurity, and autonomous-vehicle motion control algorithms developed in part through CNXMotion, a joint venture with Continental AG established in 2017.

In April 2026, Nexteer launched its steer-by-wire system into series production, the first of its type to reach a production passenger vehicle. The system, certified to ASIL D functional safety by Germany's DAkkS accreditation body, runs on the world's first full drive-by-wire chassis car, produced by a Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer the company has not named publicly. The system achieves millisecond failover through dual controllers, dual power supplies, and dual actuation paths. An electro-mechanical brake product completed development and validation in 2026 and is now market-ready, though it has not yet entered series production.

Financial performance

Nexteer Automotive reported US$4.6 billion in revenue for full-year 2025, the third consecutive record year, up 7.2% from 2024. The automotive sector revenue figure from the Berylls top-100 ranking for the same period is EUR 4.1 billion at a 3.6% operating income margin and 2.7% year-over-year growth, differences explained by the USD/EUR translation rate and perimeter conventions used in that study.

The company reported adjusted EBITDA of US$471.9 million for 2025, an EBITDA margin of approximately 10.3%. Net profit attributable to equity holders was US$102 million, up 65.3% from US$62 million in 2024, reflecting improved mix and operational efficiency rather than a one-time event per the company's investor materials. The company secured US$4.9 billion in bookings during 2025, with 52% from new or conquest business and 50% tied to electric or hybrid vehicle platforms.

The first half of 2026 carried that momentum: US$2.3 billion in revenue, up 4% against a difficult comparable, with US$263 million in adjusted EBITDA (11.3% margin) and US$86 million in net profit. Free cash flow reached US$109 million in the half, nearly three times the prior year period. The company opened a new manufacturing facility in Rayong, Thailand in early 2026 and expanded its Changshu, China test track, with 28 new customer programs launching in the first six months.

The company employs roughly 12,000 to 13,000 people across 26 manufacturing plants, five technical centers, and 13 customer support centers on six continents, per available company disclosures and public record. Employee figures circulating in broker databases vary and are modeled rather than reported.

Ownership and history

Nexteer's roots run to 1906, when Jackson, Church and Wilcox Co. was established in Saginaw, Michigan. Buick acquired it in 1909, and the entity passed into General Motors' hands as GM expanded. It became the Saginaw Steering Gear Division, then part of Delphi Automotive Systems when Delphi was separated from GM in 1995 and became an independent company in 1999. GM reacquired the steering and driveline operation from Delphi in 2009, renamed it Nexteer Automotive, and sold it in November 2010 to Pacific Century Motors, a consortium backed by AVIC Auto (a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China) and Beijing E-Town International Investment and Development Co.

The company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in October 2013 under ticker 1316. Ownership today: roughly 44% is held by Nexteer Automotive (Hong Kong) Holdings Limited, the AVIC-controlled entity, and roughly 19% by Beijing E-Town International Automotive Investment and Management Co., with the remainder held by public shareholders. The world headquarters relocated from Saginaw to Auburn Hills, Michigan in 2015.

Certifications and quality

Nexteer holds IATF 16949:2016 certification at its Auburn Hills, Michigan headquarters, covering policy making, internal audit management, human resources, and training functions; the Saginaw, Michigan engineering center serves as a remote support location under the same certificate. The current certificate was issued 2 February 2024 and runs through 1 February 2027, per the certificate posted on the company's own site. Individual manufacturing plants each hold their own IATF certifications, which is standard practice for a multi-plant Tier 1 operation of this size. The company's supplier requirements documentation references IATF 16949 compliance as a baseline requirement for its own supply base.

Known customers

The company's own materials list more than 60 customers globally, naming BMW, Ford, General Motors, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, Stellantis, Toyota, and Volkswagen Group as major relationships, alongside Chinese OEMs including BYD, Chery, Geely, Great Wall Motors, Li Auto, and Xpeng. The 2025 bookings mix shows Chinese OEM business at 34% of total, reflecting significant share growth in that market. The customer for the first steer-by-wire series-production launch in April 2026 has not been disclosed publicly.

GM and Ford are historically the largest customers, consistent with Nexteer's origin as the former GM Saginaw Steering Gear division and its deep integration into North American EPS programs going back to the 1990s. The 2025 bookings breakdown also shows 50% of wins tied to electric or hybrid platforms, a shift reflected in the company's growing Chinese OEM relationships and its electric vehicle program pipeline.

Recent news

August 2026 -- Nexteer reported record first-half 2026 results: US$2.3 billion in revenue, US$263 million in adjusted EBITDA, and US$86 million in net profit, with a new Thailand plant at mass production and two steer-by-wire programs in series production (company press release).

April 2026 -- The company launched steer-by-wire into series production for a major Chinese NEV manufacturer, the first such system on a production passenger vehicle. The system carries ASIL D functional safety certification from DAkkS. Separately, the electro-mechanical brake system was declared market-ready after completing development and validation (company press releases).

October 2025 -- Nexteer announced its Direct Drive Hand Wheel Actuator (DD-HWA), an additional motion-by-wire product, at its product showcase (company announcement).

Frequently asked questions

What does Nexteer Automotive make?

Nexteer Automotive makes electric power steering systems, steer-by-wire systems, hydraulic power steering, steering columns and intermediate shafts, driveline systems (half shafts, propeller shafts), and automotive software including vehicle health management and ADAS motion-control products. The company started series production of steer-by-wire technology in April 2026.

Who owns Nexteer Automotive?

Nexteer Automotive is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (ticker 1316). The controlling shareholder is Nexteer Automotive (Hong Kong) Holdings Limited, which is controlled by AVIC Auto, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. Beijing E-Town International holds an additional direct stake. The remaining shares trade publicly.

What is Nexteer Automotive's annual revenue?

Nexteer Automotive reported US$4.6 billion in revenue for full-year 2025, up 7.2% year-over-year, the third consecutive record year. The company's first-half 2026 revenue was US$2.3 billion, up 4% from the prior year period.

Where is Nexteer Automotive headquartered?

Nexteer Automotive's world headquarters is in Auburn Hills, Michigan, at 1272 Doris Rd, Auburn Hills, MI 48326. The company relocated from Saginaw, Michigan in 2015. It also operates a major US Technical Center in Saginaw and engineering and technical centers in Tychy, Poland and Suzhou, China.

Who are Nexteer Automotive's customers?

Nexteer serves more than 60 automakers globally. Named customers on the company's own materials include BMW, Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Toyota, Volkswagen Group, and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, alongside Chinese OEMs including BYD, Chery, Geely, Great Wall Motors, Li Auto, and Xpeng. Chinese OEM business represented 34% of 2025 bookings.

Last verified September 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.