Radical Qualcomm concept previews tech for BMW, JLR, Mercedes

Chip maker Qualcomm brought its own concept car to the 2023 Munich motor show to demonstrate the latest in-car infotainment tricks made possible by its Snapdragon ‘system on chip’ platform.

The US company, better known for its smartphone chips, has built a formidable list of automotive clients for the Snapdragon Digital Chassis architecture that is helping a still somewhat analogue industry pivot to digital.

A measure of Qualcomm’s importance is evident in the number of car makers willing to publicly acknowledge their partnership, which is not usually the case with suppliers.

For example, CEO Cristiano Amon shared a stage in Munich with BMW development boss Frank Weber, who extolled the breadth of digital abilities that will be unlocked by Qualcomm’s computing power in its Neue Klasse range of cars starting in 2025.

Qualcomm is also the force behind Mercedes-Benz’s upgraded MBUX operating system running on the new Superscreen in the latest E-Class. Faster reactions, augmented reality, smarter sat-nav – all are promised thanks to the Qualcomm Digital Cockpit and associated software.

BMW and Mercedes are the tip of the iceberg. Stellantis is leaning on Qualcomm to deliver software-enabled features in its new electric cars, Renault has said Qualcomm will invest in its Ampere electric spin-off division and JLR will take Qualcomm’s 5G modem starting in 2025.

“The smartphone reshaped the global economy. Software-defined cars can do the same thing,” said Amon.

Here are some of the ways Qualcomm thinks its tech will enable that to happen.

Sync with your life

“Good morning, Nick.” The idea is that your car now has all the computer power and seamless integration with your phone to create much more tailored interactions. Just as your phone knows your bank details and your diary, so too will your car – and that makes it a lot easier to navigate to your appointments, suggest nearby parking options (including valet parking) and then pay for them.

Augmented reality

The concept behind the Digital Chassis is that one, two or more interlinked smartchips are the brains behind everything in the car, feeding more information to the driver.

So, for example, a roof-mounted camera could scan a car park ahead for available spaces, project them onto an augmented reality head-up display and direct the driver to the spot. Or just use V2X (vehicle-to-everything) tech to grab information from the parking garage itself. At that point, the car might just take over, aided by the autonomous features from Qualcomm’s Ride platform.

AI Fail

One curious aspect of the Qualcomm demo was the use of artificial intelligence, which didn’t quite work. ‘Tour mode’ created a driving route taking in local Munich sites, including the art museum. AI collated some relevant facts to act as a tour guide, which worked, but then also inexplicably generated pictures of the buildings, which looked nothing like the original. AI will no doubt play a big role delivering information to the car, but sometimes you’re better off pulling over and Googling.

Slicker displays

The full-length screen in Qualcomm’s demo is barely even the near future: the firm already powers the 55in display in the new Cadillac Escalade iQ. But it was refreshing to see the coherent clarity and genuinely useful graphics, such as the inactive 3D visualisation of the car to change specific features. That was enabled using Epic Games’s Unreal Engine, which was originally developed for 3D games but is increasingly being used elsewhere.

Qualcomm’s successful pitch to manufacturers is that all are welcome on the platform: it’s an enabler for tech, rather than dictating one way of doing things over another.