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Samsung to Test Autonomous Vehicle Tech in S. Korea

Samsung Electronics Co. has been given government permission to test self-driving technologies on public roads in South Korea.
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Samsung Electronics Co. has been given government permission to test self-driving technologies on public roads in South Korea.

Like Apple Inc., Samsung is focusing on the sensors and software required for autonomous vehicles and doesn’t plan to build entire vehicles, the Financial Times notes. Korea has issued 18 other permits to test self-driving cars, but Samsung is the first electronics company to gain such approval.

The smartphone maker set up a team in December 2015 to identify ways to expand its automotive operations. But it has been slow to jump into the emerging autonomous vehicle market. Last November it agreed to buy U.S.-based audio and telematics supplier Harman International Industries Inc.

The $8 billion deal, which is intended to bolster Samsung’s expertise in vehicle connectivity, is likely to be finalized this summer.

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