Toyota Motor Corp.’s software and technology arm plans to embark on an ambitious hiring and acquisition spree as automakers globally jostle for pole position in the race to develop smart cars that will one day drive themselves.

Waymo, Alphabet Inc.’s self-driving car unit, said it raised $2.5 billion in a recent funding round to help advance its technology and replace a management team rocked by departures.

Legislation meant to facilitate access to autonomous vehicles nationwide has again come before the U.S. House of Representatives.

Although autonomous trucks are still in their infancy, the continued development and eventual deployment of these vehicles represents a new frontier for the freight transportation business. As this technology advances in the coming years and decades, fleet operators that adopt self-driving trucks will encounter a new management challenge: finding the best ways to combine automation with human labor.

German lawmakers agreed to allow some driverless vehicles on public roads, a first step toward enabling autonomous driving in Europe’s biggest economy.

Waymo is talking to outside investors about raising as much as $4 billion in additional capital to fuel its self-driving efforts. And the company has discussed plans to eventually list publicly, spinning out from its parent Alphabet Inc., according to people familiar with the plans.

DETROIT — Two federal agencies are sending teams to investigate the fatal crash of a Tesla near Houston in which local authorities say no one was behind the wheel.

Argo AI, the self-driving startup backed by Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG, is considering going public as soon as this year, according to people familiar with its plans.

Self-driving truck startup Plus is in advanced talks with a few special purpose acquisition companies for a merger, as it seeks to bankroll its expansion in the autonomous driving industry, according to people familiar with the matter.

Apple Inc. more than doubled road testing of its self-driving cars in 2020 as its autonomous technology improved, according to a report filed with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.