Samsung secures self-driving car permit in California

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. 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.'