HARMAN Enters Agreement To Purchase ZF Group’s ADAS Business
Acquisition secures HARMAN’s strategic foundations in ADAS & centralized automotive electronics platforms to help define the fast-growing SDV market…
HARMAN International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business of ZF Group, comprising automotive compute solutions, smart cameras, radars and ADAS software functions. The transaction is valued at around $1.76 billion.
HARMAN’s “Consumer Experiences. Automotive Grade.” strategy focuses on bringing the speed, intelligence and intuitive experiences from leading technology brands into vehicles, while also meeting the highest standards for automotive safety, reliability and long-term platform support, company officials stated in a press release. As automakers accelerate toward software-defined vehicles (SDV), this approach connects safety and assisted driving functions with comfort, connectivity and in-vehicle intelligence. With this acquisition, HARMAN says that it has secured strategic inroads in the ADAS and central compute platforms markets, reinforcing a foundation that anchors and advances its role in the fast-growing SDV market.
HARMAN’s Roadmap for Next-Generation Vehicle Architectures
By integrating ZF’s ADAS capabilities with HARMAN’s flagship Digital Cockpit offerings within a centralized compute design, the acquisition bolsters HARMAN’s roadmap for next-generation vehicle architectures, the company said. The combination creates a foundation for future central compute solutions that bring assisted and automated driving solutions, safety and user experiences on a shared platform.
“The industry is at an inflection point where safety, intelligence and in-cabin experience must come together through a unified computing architecture,” said Christian Sobottka, chief executive officer and president, Automotive Division, HARMAN. “With this agreement, we take a strategic step to expand our portfolio with complementary ADAS capabilities that unlock a new class of cross-domain experiences ranging from perception-informed audio cues to more personalized, situation-aware driving. Combined with HARMAN’s long-standing automotive expertise and supported by Samsung’s broader technology leadership, this positions us to help OEMs design the next generation of intelligent, empathetic and connected vehicles.”
“With HARMAN, we have found the ideal partner to fully unlock the growth and innovation potential of our ADAS business,” said Mathias Miedreich, CEO of ZF Group. “At the same time, this deal makes an important contribution to reducing our company’s debt and allows us to focus our resources on the core technologies in which ZF is a global leader.”
“Samsung has a successful record of strategic acquisitions that accelerate innovation and expand what’s possible for our customers,” said Young Sohn, chairman of the board of directors, HARMAN, and senior advisor, Samsung Electronics. “Since acquiring HARMAN in 2017, the company has scaled its automotive and audio business from $7 billion to more than $11 billion today. Adding ZF’s ADAS capabilities builds on that momentum. HARMAN will further expand its technology foundation to deliver safer, more intelligent and more intuitive in-vehicle experiences. This acquisition reinforces HARMAN’s leadership in the industry’s transformation and underscores Samsung’s long-term commitment to the future of mobility.”
Closing the Deal
As part of the agreement, approximately 3,750 ZF employees across Europe, the Americas and Asia are expected to transition to HARMAN upon closing of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to receiving necessary regulatory approvals.
Upon closing, HARMAN will integrate ZF’s ADAS capabilities into its centralized compute and digital cockpit roadmap, enabling OEMs to deploy more scalable, safety-integrated vehicle architectures. The companies claim they will maintain strong support for existing programs while aligning engineering, ADAS and compute teams to accelerate innovation for next-generation platforms.
