Samsung self-driving cars take fight to Apple, Uber and Google's Waymo

Samsung is stepping up its plans for self-driving cars to rival former Google project Waymo, Uber and Apple, bringing the key players from the battle for smartphone dominance to the brave new world of autonomous vehicles. The South Korean electronics manufacturer, which is the world's largest smartphone maker and a chip giant in its own right, has been given permission to test its self-driving cars on public roads by the South Korean ministry of land, infrastructure and transport. The decision puts Samsung in direct competition with US technology firms, including Uber, Waymo and Apple, all of which are already testing self-driving vehicles on public roads. Samsung's smartphone rival, Apple, was recently granted permission to test its long-rumoured vehicles in California. Unlike Apple, Google and other US technology firms, which predominantly use modified Lexus SUVs for testing autonomous systems, Samsung is using fellow Korean firm Hyundai's vehicles.