Prime Highlights
- Samsung Electronics will acquire ZF Friedrichshafen’s ADAS business for €1.5 billion, strengthening its position in automotive electronics and advanced driver-assistance systems.
- The deal will help Harman, Samsung’s subsidiary, develop integrated platforms for software-defined vehicles by combining ADAS and digital cockpit technologies.
Key Facts
- ZF’s ADAS unit produces smart camera systems and driver-assistance controllers, supporting modern electric and autonomous vehicles.
- The acquisition, expected to close next year, marks Samsung’s first major automotive merger since acquiring Harman in 2017.
Background
Samsung Electronics has agreed to acquire the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) business of Germany’s ZF Friedrichshafen for €1.5 billion ($1.77 billion), marking a major step in its expansion into automotive electronics. The deal, announced on Tuesday, will be carried out through Samsung’s audio electronics subsidiary Harman International and is expected to close next year.
The acquisition gives Samsung a stronger position in the fast-growing ADAS market, which includes technologies such as forward-facing cameras and driver-assistance controllers. ZF is a global leader in electric auto parts. Its ADAS unit makes smart camera systems for modern vehicles and is well-known in the industry.
Samsung said the move will help Harman secure key technologies needed for software-defined vehicles, or SDVs, which rely on centralized electronic controllers rather than separate systems. By combining ZF’s ADAS technology with Harman’s digital cockpit products, the company plans to develop integrated controller platforms for future vehicles.
This is Samsung’s first major automotive merger or acquisition since it bought Harman in 2017. It follows a series of deals announced this year across climate control, audio equipment, and digital health, showing a broader push into high-growth technology sectors.
Harman CEO Christian Sobottka said the deal adds a critical pillar to Harman’s product lineup and strengthens its ability to support carmakers moving toward SDVs. Samsung estimates that the global ADAS and centralized controller market will grow sharply by 2035.
The acquisition also comes as automotive electronics emerge as a key growth driver for Samsung, backed by rising revenues and increasing global partnerships in future mobility.