Qualcomm and Alphabet Collaborate on Automotive AI; Mercedes-Benz Signs Chip Agreement

Qualcomm announced on Tuesday that it is partnering with Alphabet's Google to provide a suite of chips and software solutions. This collaboration aims to enable car manufacturers to create their own AI voice assistants leveraging technology from both companies.

Historically, Qualcomm's chips have largely powered mobile devices running Google's Android operating system. However, the company is expanding its presence in the automotive sector, offering chips capable of driving vehicle dashboards and automated driving systems, which companies like General Motors utilize.

As part of this new venture, Qualcomm revealed it is collaborating with Google to enhance the functionality of Google’s Android Automotive OS, ensuring that it operates seamlessly on Qualcomm's chips. While many users are familiar with Google’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay—interfaces that project mobile apps onto car displays—Android Automotive OS serves a more integrated role, operating behind the scenes to manage the computing systems within vehicles. Through their alliance, Qualcomm and Google aim to provide automakers with tools to create exclusive voice assistants that function independently of a driver's mobile device.

Nakul Duggal, who is the group manager for automotive at Qualcomm, noted, "While we have interfaced with each other before, we often did so independently. By approaching this partnership differently, we can help alleviate confusion and streamline efforts for our customers."

On the same day, Qualcomm also introduced two new chips: the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite, designed to power vehicle dashboards, and the Snapdragon Ride Elite, aimed at enhancing self-driving capabilities. Furthermore, it was disclosed that the Mercedes-Benz Group plans to integrate the Snapdragon Elite Cockpit chip into its future vehicle models. However, details regarding the timeline or specific models for this integration were not provided.

automotive, AI, partnership