HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and a global leader in connected automotive technologies, today announced a fresh investment of ₹345 crores (USD 42 million) to expand its automotive electronics manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune, India.
The investment includes ₹45 crores (USD 5.5 million) for immediate expansion and an additional ₹300 crores (USD 36.5 million) over the next three years to support advanced telematics and next-generation automotive connectivity programs. With these new commitments, HARMAN’s cumulative investments in the Pune plant now stand at ₹554 crores (USD 67 million) since its inception in 2014.This expansion will create 300 new jobs in Pune by 2027.
This expansion strengthens Government of India’s vision to “Make in India, for the World” – positioning the country as a key global hub for advanced automotive manufacturing of connected and sustainable mobility solutions.
Christian Sobottka, CEO and President of Automotive, HARMAN said, “This investment is a clear signal of our commitment to India. Pune is not just adding capacity – it’s building the future of connected cars. From 5G telematics to sustainable manufacturing, India’s talent and innovation strength make it central to HARMAN’s global automotive growth.”
HARMAN’s Pune facility serves as a global manufacturing hub for connected car technologies – including cockpits, telematics units, and car audio systems, catering to all Indian OEMs including Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, along with export customers in Europe and North America.
This new expansion adds 71,505 sq. ft. of built-up area, including a 45,000 sq. ft. production shop floor, boosting capacity by 50% with four new SMT lines, and new capabilities such as module production and speaker manufacturing. The plant is now poised to deliver an annual output of four million car audio components, 1.4 million infotainment units, and 0.8 million Telematics Control Units (TCUs) by 2027.
Key Highlights
- ₹345 crores (USD 42 million) new investment to expand Pune automotive manufacturing plant
- Production capacity up by 50%
- 300 new jobs to be created as part of expansion
- HARMAN Ready Connect, the next-generation telematics control unit, to be Made in India
- Focus on green manufacturing, with 100% green energy transition by 203
New product lines will include 5G and 4G telematics solutions such as TCUs for Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki, alongside the locally manufactured HARMAN Ready Connect — a pre-developed, all-in-one Telematics Control Unit co-developed with Samsung.
HARMAN Ready Connect comes equipped with OTA (over-the-air) updates, built-in cybersecurity, diagnostics, and cloud integration, and integrates with HARMAN Ready Aware to deliver real-time, contextual V2N (Vehicle-to-Network) alerts for enhanced safety.
HARMAN’s India team has played a pivotal role in this product’s definition, development, and validation. Already adopted by leading OEMs across Asia and North America, HARMAN Ready Connect exemplifies the company’s commitment to “Consumer Experiences. Automotive Grade.” — delivering in-vehicle intelligence that feels consumer-friendly yet meets the most rigorous automotive standards.
With 5G Ready Connect production now at Pune, HARMAN strengthens its ability to deliver consumer-grade, connected in-car experiences with automotive reliability. This local manufacturing step helps OEM partners bring next-generation connectivity, safety, and entertainment experiences to customers faster.
HARMAN INDIA’S role as a Global Automotive R & D hub
India has emerged as the innovation backbone of HARMAN’s global automotive business. HARMAN Automotive India’s 5000-member strong team has end-to-end capabilities in product management, software and hardware engineering, manufacturing and quality.
Krishna Kumar, Managing Director & Automotive Head, HARMAN India said, “India is where HARMAN designs, builds, and exports the next generation of in-car experiences. From connected infotainment to immersive audio to telematics and connected safety solutions, our engineers here don’t just serve India – they serve the world. That’s why India sits at the heart of HARMAN’s global automotive strategy.”
The Pune facility also continues to lead the company’s sustainability journey. Its on-site solar installations generate over 317,000 KWh of electricity annually – mitigating nearly 200 metric tons of CO₂ emissions. The Pune team’s commitment to world-class performance has earned prestigious industry recognitions, including the CII Award for Energy Efficient Unit.
Aligned with HARMAN’s global Sound Purpose ESG framework, strategy and commitment, the facility is progressing toward 100% renewable electricity use by 2030. It has eliminated diesel generators, optimized production lines for energy efficiency, and incorporated eco-conscious design principles to minimize material waste and lifecycle impact.
Since its inception, the Pune facility has maintained a zero OSHA-recordable injury rate, underscoring HARMAN’s commitment to the highest standards of safety and operational excellence.
The expanded Pune facility complements HARMAN’s global manufacturing network across China, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil, and Germany, underscoring India’s pivotal role in driving connected, intelligent, and sustainable automotive solutions.
Through local innovation, clean energy adoption, and advanced telematics manufacturing, HARMAN demonstrates that sustainability and technology leadership go hand-in-hand — reaffirming the company’s belief that smarter mobility can also be more sustainable.
About HARMAN :
HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In March 2017, HARMAN became a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.