O'Neal's goal: Smaller but stronger Delphi

摘要

Retired CEO bet on promising technology with high margins. When Delphi Automotive took journalists for rides in its driverless Audi SQ45 this winter during the International CES, the retrofitted crossover wasn't restricted to the highway. The vehicle ventured onto Las Vegas' urban streets for encounters with taxis, buses, limos and pedestrians. It handled them all nicely. Other major suppliers have rolled out driverless prototypes to showcase active safety technology. But Delphi is getting contracts. And it's a good example of CEO Rodney O'Neal's core business strategy in his eight years at the helm: Shed slow-growth businesses and invest in promising high-margin technologies. "We think [active safety] is the future," O'Neal said in a Feb. 27 interview. "I put my money where my mouth was, and we backed it up with investments."