Harman International Industries announced the official opening of a new North American Automotive Headquarters.
Located in Novi, Mich., the 188,000-square-foot building with 1,000 employees focuses on engineering and development of advanced technology solutions for the connected car, automotive audio and Cloud services, the company said.
“The opening of our new North American Automotive Headquarters signifies Harman’s drive to accelerate innovation in automotive and also the exciting future that metro Detroit is forging as an epicenter of the connected car and autonomous driving,” said Dinesh Paliwal, chairman/president/CEO. “The location of the facility underscores the incredible wealth of talent in the region and the importance of proximity to our customers and partners. We are … eager to continue our collaborations with the top American automakers to create smart, seamless solutions for the best driving experience.”
Furthering its commitment to the city of Novi, Harman also announced a $10,000 grant to the Novi Educational Foundation to support educational opportunities and program enhancements for the Novi Community School District and greater community.
Joined by customers, elected officials and community leaders, Harman executives commemorated the official opening with tours and presentations of its innovation showcase of connected car, automotive audio and connected services solutions.
The new headquarters includes the following equipment and facilities:
*engineering labs for advanced connected car technologies and platforms, including driver assistance, next-generation navigation and security solutions;
*development areas focused on future connectivity solutions, including telematics, over-the-air update services and vehicle-to-infrastructure/vehicle-to-vehicle communications;
*infotainment design studios for Harman and customer co-developed advanced software applications;
*state-of-the-art audio listening room;
*a full cinema-quality 5.1 surround sound theater showcasing Harman’s professional audio, as well as home and multimedia;
*an anechoic chamber for the accurate designing and testing of transducers;
*vehicle bays for integration testing;
*a full-scale pilot factory; and
*employee amenities, including a fitness center, locker rooms, cafeteria, collaboration spaces, and an outdoor deck and patio space.