Software and the digital experience inside vehicles will become the biggest areas of differentiation for automakers as cars become increasingly connected and software-driven, according to Harman India Managing Director Krishna Kumar.
The Samsung-owned automotive technology company, which supplies infotainment systems, connected vehicle technologies and premium audio systems to OEMs such as Tata Motors, Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki, believes future competition in the automotive industry will increasingly revolve around software rather than hardware.
"The in-cabin experience for us is going to be the next big thing, or is the big thing, for the car market. Software is becoming the most important thing in this entire ecosystem. There is only limited hardware differentiation; it is all about software," Kumar told Autocar Professional.
As vehicles evolve into software-defined platforms, Kumar said consumers increasingly expect the same digital experience inside their cars that they enjoy on smartphones and other connected devices.
"People want whatever their digital experience is with their mobile phone and within their house to come seamlessly into the car," he said.
That trend is encouraging Harman to combine its automotive technologies with Samsung's expertise in consumer electronics. The company is using technologies such as Neo QLED displays and health-monitoring algorithms developed within the Samsung ecosystem to enhance digital cockpit displays and driver monitoring systems.
Kumar said India presents a unique environment for automotive technology companies, with customers demanding premium features at competitive prices.
"India wants speed. India wants cost. India wants quality. India wants innovation," he said.
He underlined the rapid spread of premium features into mainstream vehicles as evidence of how quickly the market is evolving.
Connected vehicle technologies are also becoming increasingly important for the company. Harman's telematics business, which enables vehicles to connect to the internet through cellular and satellite networks, is a relatively new business but one that Kumar expects to grow rapidly.
"I am envisaging that there will not be many cars which will not have any connection at all. All cars will be connected. Some kind of connection," he said.
He also expects advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to gain wider acceptance in India as customer preferences shift towards feature-rich vehicles.
"People's aspirations are higher, affordability has improved, and people are willing to spend more and buy cars which have better features. A lot of these ADAS features that we are talking about are all for the safety of the passengers and the driver. Adoption will happen for sure in India," Kumar said.
India has become central to Harman's global technology operations. The company employs around 4,000 engineers across Bengaluru and Pune, its largest engineering workforce globally, with Indian teams contributing to products used worldwide. Kumar said the country's role should now extend beyond engineering execution.
"I think we should now become the innovation hub for the global market, not just the engineering hub," he said.