Mercedes partners with Qualcomm and Alphabet to integrate new Snapdragon chips for next-generation dashboard and self-driving technology in its automobile
Qualcomm is teaming up with Alphabet's Google, to bring advanced AI voice assistants to the automotive industry. As announced on October 22, the partnership will enable the carmakers to develop custom voice assistants using Qualcomm's chips and Google's AI technology.
Qualcomm's chips have powered Google's Android operating system in mobile phones for years. Now, in recent years, it has expanded its business into the automotive business which is already in use by General Motors and others to power dashboards and automated driving systems.
Under this partnership, Android Automotive OS will be customized by Google specifically for Qualcomm's chips. It will also provide carmakers with the ability to engineer voice assistants that operate independently of the phones used by owners of the car.
“Typically, we have operated together, but independently - we plan a lot of things together, but we go to customers separately,” said Nakul Duggal, Qualcomm's group manager for automotive. He added, “We decided we should think about this differently because it will reduce a lot of friction and confusion.”
Qualcomm has introduced two new chips: the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite for in-dashboard applications, and the Snapdragon Ride Elite for self-driving features. However, the Snapdragon Elite Cockpit chip from Qualcomm has been declared for use in future vehicles by the Mercedes-Benz Group.
The new partnership will allow auto-makers to develop voice assistants personalized for an individual's use and take that benefit all the way to the driving experience. All automotive systems in cars are powered by Android Automotive OS from Google, which is different from Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in which all the apps are shown on a car's phone.
One of the advancements Qualcomm has undertaken in the field of automotive inclusion is offering chips for advanced driving systems. The two companies are expected to start something here. According to Nakul Duggal, group manager for automotive at Qualcomm, “By working together, we can reduce complexity and make it easier for automakers to integrate our technology.”
This is a giant leap in the automotive AI landscape that Qualcomm and Google are taking. With Qualcomm's experience with chips and Google's AI experience, the automobile industry is going to witness the benefits that can be drawn from this technology.