Qualcomm (QCOM.US) teams up with Google (GOOGL.US) to develop car AI system, Mercedes-Benz to adopt Snapdragon chips
1min read Intelligence Finance learned that Qualcomm (QCOM.US) said on Tuesday that it will work with Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet (GOOGL.US), to provide a combination of chips and software to allow carmakers to use the companies' technologies to develop their own AI voice assistants. On Tuesday, Qualcomm said it is working with Google to develop an Android Automotive OS that runs smoothly on Qualcomm chips.
Qualcomm's chips have long powered phones running Google's Android operating system, and the company has expanded its business to the automotive sector, with chips used for both car dashboards and self-driving systems used by companies such as General Motors (GM.US).
Based on the long-standing relationship, the two companies will leverage a combination of technologies from Snapdragon Digital Cockpit, Android Automotive OS and Google Cloud to provide a standardized reference platform for developing cabin solutions with generative AI. The platform, powered by Google AI, will enable intuitive voice assistants, immersive map experiences and real-time driving predictions through the Snapdragon heterogeneous edge AI SoC and Qualcomm AI Hub.
Qualcomm and Google said carmakers will be able to use the joint products and Google's AI technology to create their own voice assistants that work without relying on the driver's phone.
The core of the cooperation is to develop a standardized reference platform based on the Snapdragon heterogeneous edge AI SoC and Qualcomm AI Hub, which will simplify the deployment of AI models in the car cabin, including visual, audio and voice applications. Google AI will support the framework to achieve more intuitive voice assistants, immersive map experiences and real-time updates to predict and meet the needs of drivers.
Nakul Duggal, a manager of Qualcomm's automotive group, said about the relationship between Qualcomm and Google: "Usually we operate together but separately - we plan a lot of things together but we face customers separately. We decided to think about this differently because it reduces a lot of friction and confusion."
Qualcomm also launched two new chips on Tuesday, one called Snapdragon Cockpit Elite for car dashboards and another called Snapdragon Ride Elite for autonomous driving functions. The company said Mercedes-Benz Group plans to use the Snapdragon Elite Cockpit chip in future vehicles, but the two companies did not specify when or in which vehicles the chip would appear.
