HARMAN to invest ₹345 cr to expand its automotive electronics manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune

Samsung Electronics-owned HARMAN, a player in connected automotive technology, has on Monday announced a fresh investment of ₹345 crore ($42 million) to expand its automotive electronics manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune, India.

The investment includes ₹45 crore for immediate expansion and an additional ₹300 crore over the next three years to support advanced telematics and next-generation automotive connectivity programmes, as per a company communique.

With this expansion, HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, would create 300 new jobs in Pune by 2027. 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.

The expansion would include adding 71,505 sq. ft. of built-up area, including a 45,000 sq. ft. production shop floor, boosting HARMAN’s production capacity by 50% with four new SMT (Surface Mount Technology) lines, and adding new capabilities such as module production and speaker manufacturing. The plant will have a capacity for an annual output of four million car audio components, 1.4 million infotainment units, and 0.8 million Telematics Control Units (TCUs) by 2027.

Christian Sobottka, CEO and President of Automotive, HARMAN, “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.”

According to the company, the 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.

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.”

In India, HARMAN has over 5000 engineers who work on product management, software and hardware engineering, manufacturing and quality.