Chinese Internet giant Baidu said it has received permission from authorities in California to test its autonomous driving technologies in the state.

The tests on public roads in California, which the company said will start soon, are part of its ambitious plan to expand in the area of autonomous vehicles both in the U.S. and its home country. On Thursday, Baidu also said it had tied with Nvidia for developing an autonomous car platform for companies in China and abroad.

Baidu said the California Department of Motor Vehicles had issued it an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit. The company said earlier this year it was setting up a team of researchers and engineers in the U.S. with the aim of bringing autonomous vehicle technologies to the “masses in the near future.”

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