HARMAN Buys ZF ADAS Business for EUR 1.5 Billion

Stamford, CT - HARMAN International said on Tuesday it agreed to acquire ZF Group's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems business for EUR 1.5 billion (US$1.56 billion).

The transaction includes automotive compute solutions, smart cameras, radars, and ADAS software, HARMAN said. The company is a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

Approximately 3,750 ZF employees in Europe, the Americas, and Asia will transfer to HARMAN when the deal closes, expected in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

Christian Sobottka, chief executive of HARMAN's automotive division, said the acquisition adds ADAS capabilities to the company's portfolio, according to a statement.

Mathias Miedreich, ZF's chief executive, said the deal will reduce debt and allow the company to focus on core technologies. ZF reported EUR 41.4 billion in sales for fiscal 2024.

Young Sohn, HARMAN board chairman and Samsung Electronics senior advisor, said HARMAN's automotive and audio revenue grew from US$7 billion to over US$11 billion since Samsung acquired the company in 2017.

HARMAN said it will integrate the acquired ADAS business into its centralized compute and digital cockpit programs after the transaction closes.

The companies said they will maintain existing program support while combining engineering teams.

HARMAN employs approximately 26,000 people globally in automotive technology and lifestyle audio. The company said over 50 million vehicles use its technologies.

ZF employs approximately 161,600 people at 161 production sites in 30 countries.

(US$1 = 0.9615 euros)