SHANGHAI, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Xiaomi Corp (1810.HK) is currently running tests on 140 vehicles across China for autonomous driving, CEO Lei Jun said on Thursday. The news marks the latest benchmark for the smartphone maker, which announced last year it would enter the competitive EV sector and challenge established brands and younger tech companies. Speaking at a livestreamed company event, Lei said the company had 500 staff devoted solely to developing autonomous driving technology for its upcoming car and had put 3.3 billion yuan ($490 million) towards the initiative. At the event, Lei also unveiled a humanoid robot dubbed CyberOne, weighing 52kg and measuring 177cm tall, although it was not ready for mass production. Many other Chinese companies are investing in self-driving technology, including ridehailing giant Didi Global and search engine provider Baidu Inc .