Samsung has received a permit to test self-driving vehicles in California, marking the entry of the world’s largest smart phone maker four months after iPhone maker and arch rival Apple Inc received a permit.
Its parent company in May secured permission from South Korean authorities to test a self-driving car fitted with its own sensors and software systems.
At that time, South Korean officials said the company planned to use the car to develop a self-driving car algorithm that could drive in adverse weather.
Th Samsung booth at the IFA show in Berlin: The firm today received a permit to test self-driving vehicles in California
In a statement to Reuters, Samsung did not say what precisely what it planned to test in the United States but said it secured the permit ‘in pursuit of a smarter, safer transportation future.’
The company, part of a massive conglomerate that makes everything from washing machines to heavy machinery, said it has ‘no plans to enter the car-manufacturing business.’
The South Korean electronics maker has recently been approved to test it deep-learning based autonomous vehicles on public roads in Korea.
Although the firm has been very quiet about the project, it has developed a ‘commercialized Hyundai vehicle equipped with the latest cameras and sensors’ that will be used during testing.
In 2015, Samsung had revealed that it was setting up a team to develop a car components business focusing on autonomous driving technology and entertainment systems.
And prior to the announcement, the firm was already making chips that are used in self-driving cars.
Samsung received approved to test it deep-learning based autonomous vehicles on public roads. It plans to use a ‘commercialized Hyundai vehicle (stock image) equipped with the latest cameras and sensors’ that will be used during testing
However, the firm set out to focus on building its competencies in infotainment and autonomous driving vehicles’, Samsung said in its annual business reorganization plan in 2015.
With the foray into the U.S. self-driving car landscape, Samsung will jostle with its friends and foes.
Besides Apple, it will join Waymo, a division of Alphabet Inc, which supplies the Android operating system that runs on Samsung’s phones.
Samsung has a range of other opportunities for growth in the self-driving car business.
Earlier this year, the company closed its $8 billion purchase of car audio maker Harman International Industries, giving it a wide foot print in so-called connected car technologies.
SELF-DRIVING CARS TAKE TO THE RACE TRACK IN CALIFORNIA
Earlier this year nine self-driving cars took to the course in Northern California, with the goal of simply making it round the 2 mile (3.2 kilometre) track.
All cars competing had a driver behind the wheel to intervene if necessary, and only four out of the nine made it around the curvy course without human help.
The self-driving cars were involved in a race, called ‘Self Racing Cars’ that included students and entrepreneurs from startup companies.
Nine self-driving cars took to the course in Northern California, with the goal of simply making it round the two mile (3.2 kilometer track). Pictured is an AutonomouStuff Automated Research Development Vehicle
For the small companies and students, the race course offered a large, safe testing environment.
Deciding how to slow down for a turn, for instance, is a big question for a car that drives itself, and startups cannot necessarily afford access to a major testing facility without pedestrians.
Some cars used GPS and other location tracking to follow digital maps to get around the course.
For the small companies and students, the race course offered a large, safe testing environment. Pictured is an engineer working on an AutonomouStuff Automated Research Development Vehicle