Indian OEMs To Launch Cars With Embedded 5G In Q1 2025, Says Qualcomm

With global connected car sales likely to exceed 500 million between 2024-2030, 5G or the fifth generation of wireless communication networks is set to be a major advancement for car manufacturers globally, including in India, says Qualcomm. The chip-making giant is confident that Indian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will introduce vehicles equipped with 5G capabilities in the first quarter of next year.

“We do see that 5G is the next big leap for automakers, not only in India, but globally also. In 2025, we will see vehicles launching with 5G from Indian OEMs,” Uday Dodla, Senior Director, Business Development, Automotive and Cloud, Qualcomm India, told Acko Byte on the sidelines of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024 in New Delhi.

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“We are working with all the major Indian auto OEMs, both four-wheelers and two-wheelers, in this space,” Dodla further noted.

Asked how Qualcomm sees India's automotive sector evolving, the top Qualcomm executive said: "We have been in the automotive industry for over two decades. Specifically in India, we feel that the market is moving in a direction where people want more... They want faster connectivity and safer cars and they also want more intelligent optics. This direction is where we are already present. We are working with Mahindra and Tata and some of their models are powered by Snapdragon Automotive Platform.

China, US, India To Lead Connected Car Market

By the end of this decade, a significant majority of Internet-connected vehicles sold will come equipped with built-in 5G technology, according to Counterpoint Research.

The market intelligence firm has predicted that about 90 per cent of these connected automobiles will feature embedded 5G capabilities. While China is likely to dominate the connected vehicle market in terms of sales volumes, the US is projected to secure the second position, followed by India, Japan, and Germany in the rapidly evolving automotive sector.

India is estimated to see the fastest growth globally for connected vehicle sales between 2023-2030. According to Counterpoint Research analyst Soumen Mandal, car manufacturers in India are making steady progress in closing the gap with their global rivals. 

Indian companies are enhancing their digital features to provide drivers with an improved and more technologically advanced experience behind the wheel, he confirmed.

In the past decade, fourth-generation (4G) cellular technology was the primary connectivity solution integrated into automobiles. The current landscape shows that an overwhelming majority – over 96 per cent of connected vehicles – still rely on 4G technology. 5G adoption in the automotive sector is in its early stages, but is gradually gaining momentum.