HARMAN International has agreed to acquire ZF Group’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business for €1.5 billion (NZ$2.6b) in a deal that positions the Samsung subsidiary to compete in the growing software-defined vehicle market.
The acquisition includes ZF’s automotive compute solutions, smart cameras, radars and ADAS software functions, along with approximately 3750 employees across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.
HARMAN says the deal will integrate ZF’s ADAS capabilities with its Digital Cockpit offerings to create centralised compute solutions that combine assisted driving, 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,” HARMAN Automotive Division chief executive Christian Sobottka says.
“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 personalised, situation-aware driving.”
The move reflects broader consolidation in automotive technology as manufacturers accelerate toward software-defined vehicles. HARMAN’s strategy focuses on bringing consumer technology experiences into vehicles while meeting automotive safety and reliability standards.
Strategic foundations for growth
ZF Group chief executive Mathias Miedreich says HARMAN represents “the ideal partner to fully unlock the growth and innovation potential of our ADAS business” while helping reduce the German supplier’s debt and allowing focus on core technologies.
Samsung’s backing has enabled HARMAN to scale its automotive and audio business from US$7 billion (NZ$12.4b) to more than US$11 billion (NZ$19.5b) since the South Korean technology giant acquired the company in 2017.
“Adding ZF’s ADAS capabilities builds on that momentum,” HARMAN chairman Young Sohn says. “HARMAN will further expand its technology foundation to deliver safer, more intelligent, and more intuitive in-vehicle experiences.”
The acquisition reinforces HARMAN’s position as automakers shift toward centralised vehicle architectures that streamline system design and reduce integration complexity. The combined capabilities are expected to enable more efficient innovation cycles and help original equipment manufacturers scale differentiated vehicle experiences.
HARMAN chief strategy officer Carolin Reichert describes the transaction as “a major milestone in the execution of HARMAN’s long-term strategy” that strengthens the company’s portfolio through “very constructive collaboration with ZF.”
Upon closing, HARMAN plans to integrate ZF’s ADAS capabilities into its centralised compute and digital cockpit roadmap while maintaining support for existing programmes. The companies will align engineering, ADAS and compute teams to accelerate innovation for next-generation platforms.
HARMAN operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and employs approximately 26,000 people worldwide. ZF reported sales of €41.4 billion (NZ$73.4b) in fiscal 2024 and operates 161 production locations in 30 countries.
