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

Korean electronics firm granted permission to test autonomous cars on public roads using Hyundai vehicles, following rival Apple's California testing

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.