Samsung’s Harman invests $151 mil. for self-driving tech in Hungary

Automobile electronics company Harman International, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, will invest 131 million euros ($151 million) in its research and manufacturing bases in Hungary for self-driving technology development. According to the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency on Friday, Harman’s investment will partly go to the development of software and hardware for autonomous driving functions at its main research and development center in Budapest. In Szekesfehervar, the company will conduct research and development on autonomous systems and information management solutions. The company will also increase productivity at its manufacturing bases in Szekesfehervar and Pecs by advancing manufacturing capabilities with automation and digitization. Harman’s investment comes as global automobile makers including Mercedes-Benz are increasingly gearing toward self-driving cars and software-defined cars. While doing so, automakers are expanding collaboration with electronics and electric system developers to introduce integrated systems for advanced vehicles. Industry officials say th