Automotive supplier Delphi is to buy cabling maker HellermannTyton Group for £1.07 billion – and has made investments in other companies in the race to develop driverless cars.

The Gillingham-based car engineering firm has agreed to pay 480 pence per share for the London Stock Exchange-listed manufacturer and expects to close the deal by the end of this year.

The acquisition means Delphi can develop its electrical business and will help it grow HellermannTyton’s operations in sectors like aerospace, defence and alternative energy.

President and chief executive Kevin Clark said the firms’ expertise in electrical architecture in cars and vans was vital “with consumers now demanding more connectivity in their vehicles”.

He said HellermannTyton will help Delphi give customers better connection systems and would “capitalize on additional growth opportunities and create significant value for our customers and shareholders”.

It has been a busy month for Delphi, which has also revealed it has bought software company Ottomatika and made a “strategic investment” in Quanergy, a company which develops 3D scanning techniques in the style of radar but using light, known as lidar.

It said the moves will strengthen its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) and could help speed the development of automated vehicles, which use systems like lidar.

Bosses said that by combining Ottomatika’s automated driving software with Delphi’s active safety systems, the two companies have developed a technology platform for automated driving that enables a vehicle to make human-like decisions.

Delphi, which has bases in 33 countries, also made a minority investment in Tula Technology, which develops fuel-economy software for engine control systems.

Chief technology officer Jeff Owens said: “These companies bring unique and strategic capabilities in software and sensing technology, strengthening our portfolio in active safety and fuel economy, two critical long-term growth areas for the automotive market.

“We have had strong working relationships with these companies and believe the synergies are excellent. We continue to explore additional acquisition and investment opportunities that will enhance our growth in our core safe, green and connected areas of focus.”

Delphi employs 490 engineers and 295 factory staff at its Gillingham headquarters.