BMW, MINI Cars to Get Snapdragon Digital Chassis for 5G & Infotainment

BMW has announced its new Neue Klasse electric cars and revamped MINI models will be powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon Digital Chassis and Cockpit platforms, bringing 5G, improved infotainment and advanced driver assist systems. The new vehicles were announced last week at IAA Mobility and BMW had revealed a new chipset architecture but the vendor was not announced even though Qualcomm was suspected to be it considering their long term partnership.

5G, New Infotainment for BMW, MINI

The German automaker revealed at IAA Mobility its upcoming vehicles will utilise the 2nd generation Snapdragon Digital Chassis and associated platforms. This includes the Snapdragon Auto Connectivity system for 5G and V2X communication.

The new chips will also enable the next iterations of BMW's iDrive interface, running operating systems 8.5 and 9. For MINI vehicles, the Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms will power the OS and new 9.45-inch OLED display from Samsung.

"BMW’s iDrive has long been the gold standard for in-car control and communications interfaces. For the latest BMW iDrive generation “QuickSelect,” the Snapdragon Digital Chassis is the ideal technology platform to enable intuitive, immersive, and connected full-cabin experiences for drivers and passengers," said Stephan Durach, Senior Vice President, Connected Company Development, BMW Group.

“Through the Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions, we are empowering BMW, as well as the broader automotive ecosystem, to rapidly transform their vehicles for the digital era. We look forward to continuing our work with BMW Group to rapidly bring innovative and industrially competitive features to market,” said Nakul Duggal, senior vice president and general manager, automotive & cloud computing, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

AI and Safety Applications

The Snapdragon Cockpit will bring enhanced graphics, audio and communications to BMW's new iDrive system. The chips will also enable advanced safety features using on-device and cloud-connected AI, thanks to a collaboration between BMW, Qualcomm and NCAP.

This will power Level 2 and 3 autonomous driving capabilities, based on the Snapdragon Ride platform and Ride Vision software. BMW's L2+ system with this technology will debut in 2025 with the launch of the Neue Klasse.

"The versatility of Snapdragon Digital Chassis has made it easy for our companies to expand our working relationship beyond ADAS/AD solutions to create more comprehensive digital offerings together," Durach explained.

Partnerships With JLR, Gogoro

Qualcomm also revealed partnerships with Jaguar Land Rover for next-generation 5G tech, and electric scooter firm Gogoro for two-wheeler applications of Snapdragon Digital Chassis.

For automakers like BMW, JLR and Gogoro, Qualcomm's expertise in semiconductors is valuable as they look to add more advanced digital features. Chips are crucial in modern EVs, as demonstrated by Tesla and its former reliance on Nvidia.

For Qualcomm, autos present a major new market as smartphones plateau. With Apple developing its own modem chips and competition from Nvidia in AI, the company is eager to expand beyond its traditional businesses.

This also comes at a time when many major auto groups like Stellantis and Hyundai have inked deals with Qualcomm. But many automakers like Hyundai also pledged long term investments in new fabless chip companies like TensTorrent.