Israeli tech firms revving up engines for self-driving cars

The country has emerged as a global leader in the fast-growing field of driverless cars, as illustrated by Intel’s more than $15 billion acquisition of Israeli firm Mobileye this week.

Israel is now home to hundreds of startups that provide everything from censors to cybersecurity to data collection for autonomous vehicles, putting it alongside Silicon Valley at the forefront of an industry that many expect to take off over the next decade.

Virtually every major auto maker has established a foothold in Israel, and senior executives visit the country regularly.

Other companies, including Ford, Honda, Toyota, Subaru, BMW, Mazda, Hyundai, Volvo and Audi are all active in the Israeli market.

Michael Granoff, president of Maniv Mobility, Israel’s only venture firm dedicated exclusively to automotive technology, said the auto industry is “ripe for change.”