Clifford Chance advises HARMAN International on the intended acquisition of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business of ZF Group

Global law firm Clifford Chance has advised HARMAN International (HARMAN), a global provider of automotive technology and lifestyle audio, on its entry into a definitive agreement to acquire the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business of ZF Group. Completion is expected in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

The acquisition comprises ZF’s leading automotive compute solutions, smart cameras, radars and ADAS software functions and aligns with HARMAN’s strategy to deliver consumer technology innovation with automotive-grade reliability through a centralised automotive electronics platform.

With approximately 26,000 employees around the world, HARMAN is a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and known for brands such as JBL, Harman Kardon, AKG, Bowers & Wilkins, Denon and Marantz.

ZF is a global technology company supplying advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and industrial technology. With some 161,600 employees worldwide, ZF reported sales of €41.4 billion in fiscal 2024, and operates 161 production locations in 30 countries.

The Clifford Chance team for HARMAN was led by partner Christian Vogel and comprised partners Anselm Raddatz and Tobias Kamerling, senior associate Yannick Niedergethmann, associates Frederik Roos and Saskia Gloger as well as legal project managers Pascal Weber and Milena Mühlenkamp (all Corporate/M&A, Düsseldorf), partner Dimitri Slobodenjuk, counsels Anne Filzmoser and Ulrich Pfeffer, senior associate Julius Schradin, Arne Gayk and associates Edmund Melzer and Patricia Trapp (all Antitrust, Düsseldorf), partner Holger Lutz, counsel Nadine Neumeier, senior associate Michael Kümmel and associate Benjamin Wollweber (all TechDigital, Frankfurt), partner Olaf Mertgen and senior associate Christian Klein (all Tax, Frankfurt), partner Thomas Voland, senior associate Laura Dietz and associate Pauline Leven (all Corporate/Regulatory, Düsseldorf), partner Sebastian Ritz, senior associate Alexander Stemmler and associates Max Klein and Sophia Sahle (all Employment, Düsseldorf), partner Philipp Stoecker and associate Robin Molitor (both Real Estate, Frankfurt) as well as further lawyers from the global Clifford Chance network.