One of the best high-end car sound system producers, Bang & Olufsen Automotive, has been bought out by Harman Industrial Industries.
Bang & Olufsen, in our opinion, sits as the pinnacle automotive audio system provider. The stereo units, usually only fitted to really high-end vehicles such as Aston Martin models, produce sound that is just at another level compared with generic ‘premium’ audio options.
Harman Industrial, owners of various popular premium audio brands such as Harman/Kardon, Mark Levinson, and JBL, bought B&O Automotive for US$156 million, effective from June 1. Brand CEO Dinesh Paliwal said,
“The additions of Bang & Olufsen and B&O PLAY as distinctive and renowned brands will complement our existing premium branded offerings and strengthen Harman’s position as a leader in this segment.”
Expect the brands to combine resources and technology, and potentially make high-end Bang & Olufsen systems more accessible in a wider variety of vehicles.
