SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 11, 2019 -- Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA), a global automotive technology leader in Seating and E-Systems, today announced it has invested in an Israel-based venture capital fund managed by Maniv Mobility that is focused on advancing mobility technology.

The investment, which is being made through Lear Innovation Ventures (LIV), enables future collaboration and deepens Lear's involvement in the mobility technology ecosystem. Maniv Mobility's portfolio and investing activities are largely focused on Israeli start-up companies in the connected, autonomous, ridesharing and mobility sectors, as well as on investments in the U.S. and other markets.

"Maniv is recognized as one of the premier investment funds focusing on the key trends in the automotive market, which makes it a great opportunity for LIV," said John Absmeier, Lear's Chief Technology Officer. "This is an exciting time of transformation for the industry, and Israel is at the forefront of the flourishing auto tech sector. We look forward to this strategic partnership and the innovations that will come from both start-ups and established companies that are driving the future of mobility."

The partnership is not Lear's first mobility investment in Israel. In 2017, Lear acquired EXO Technologies, an Israeli developer of high accuracy vehicle positioning technology designed to meet the demands of the industry and drive change through increased accuracy, reliability and functional safety for ADAS and Autonomous driving applications.