Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon Cockpit and Ride Elite Automotive Platforms

Qualcomm recently introduced its most advanced automotive computing platforms, featuring its Oryon CPU. The announcement, made at the Snapdragon Summit 2024, showcases two new Elite tier platforms, Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite, representing significant advancements in automotive computing power. A key innovation is their flexible architecture, which allows automakers to combine digital cockpit and automated driving functions on a single system-on-chip (SoC).

The platforms boast impressive performance metrics, including a neural processing unit (NPU) that delivers 12 times the performance of previous generations. The improved Adreno GPU targets a threefold performance increase, enabling advanced gaming, multimedia, and dynamic driver information displays.

"As the automotive industry evolves towards centralized computing, software-defined vehicles and AI-driven architectures," said Nakul Duggal, Group General Manager of Automotive, Industrial and Cloud at Qualcomm Technologies. "These new elite Snapdragon automotive platforms address the industry's needs for higher compute levels, empowering automakers to redefine automotive experiences for their customers."

In addition, Qualcomm has formed a multi-year technology partnership with Google to advance digital transformation in automotive applications. This collaboration will leverage the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, Android Automotive OS, and Google Cloud to create a standardized framework for developing cockpit solutions powered by generative AI.

The platforms feature comprehensive safety measures, meet automotive standards for ASIL-D systems, and support over 40 multimodal sensors, including up to 20 high-resolution cameras for 360-degree coverage and in-cabin monitoring.

Major automotive manufacturers have already shown interest in the new technology. Li Auto and Mercedes-Benz AG have announced plans to incorporate these platforms into their future vehicle lineups. Mercedes-Benz's Chief Software Officer, Magnus Östberg, praised the technology's potential to deliver "an unmatched in-vehicle experience."

The new platforms will be available in 2025, paving the way for more sophisticated, software-defined vehicles in the future. The Google collaboration aims to create intuitive voice assistants, immersive map experiences, and real-time updates anticipating driver needs. "The automotive industry is on the cusp of major transformation enabled by advancements in generative AI," noted Patrick Brady, Google's VP of Engineering.