Reporting once again from Hawaii for the Snapdragon Summit 2024, and this time, I’m gonna be talking about two brand-new chipsets from Qualcomm. So if you’re into cars and tech, buckle up – because this is gonna blow your mind!
Qualcomm in Automotive
Alright, in case you didn’t know, Qualcomm has been working with automakers for over two decades, bringing cutting-edge tech to millions of vehicles globally, from BMW, Mercedes Benz, and more. Whether it’s connectivity, safety, or in-car entertainment, chances are, Qualcomm’s tech is powering it.
But now, they’ve stepped it up with their Snapdragon Digital Chassis. It’s a fully connected platform that lets automakers create personalized and safety-focused experiences in your car. And today, I’m going to talk about their new and next evolution of that – the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite.
Snapdragon Cockpit Elite & Ride Elite
Alright, so what exactly are these two new platforms? First, there is the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite. This is designed to power your digital cockpit – meaning your infotainment system, driver display, navigation, and all of that, and this makes it smarter, faster, and way more interactive.
So I got to experience the BMW i5 which had cool features like taking a selfie inside of the car just using your voice, besides controlling the AC, you can record videos from all of the cameras outside of the car, and you can also stream movies, and there are plenty of apps and even play multiplayer games, while the car is parked of course.
And then, there’s the Snapdragon Ride Elite, which is focused on autonomous driving. It takes care of things like lane assistance, collision detection, and even full self-driving capabilities.
Powering the Platform – Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU
Now, what makes these platforms so powerful is the tech running under the hood – Qualcomm’s second-gen Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU. These chips have been customized specifically for automotive applications, meaning everything in your car runs smoother, faster, and more efficiently.
So Imagine streaming music, navigating, making hands-free calls, and even gaming, all at the same time, with zero lag. That’s thanks to the 3x boost in CPU performance compared to their previous-gen automotive chips.
AI-Driven Features and In-Car Intelligence
Here’s where things get really interesting because Qualcomm has packed a ton of AI-driven features into these platforms. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite, for example, can handle advanced voice commands and even adapt to your preferences over time.
So your car’s AI assistant doesn’t just answer questions anymore – it learns about you. It can predict where you’re going, adjust settings based on your preferences, and even take action automatically.
So imagine your car telling you that the area has no parking and suggesting places to park without you even asking it or helping you buy tickets at the museum in advance if you are headed there all while you are driving!
Next-Level Visual and Audio Experiences
Now, if you’re a fan of in-car entertainment, this is going to be a game changer. The Snapdragon Adreno GPU now supports real-time ray tracing and 3D rendering, so you’re getting visuals in your car that can rival a gaming console.
Plus, Qualcomm’s AI audio engine makes sure every passenger in the car gets a personalized audio experience. So while the driver is getting navigation prompts, the backseat can be watching a movie with surround sound – and it won’t interfere.
On top of that the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite is capable of supporting up to 16 displays with 4K resolution, allowing for a truly immersive in-car experience. Whether it’s for infotainment, navigation, or real-time driver information, the visual quality is unmatched.
Autonomous Driving & Safety Features
Then the Snapdragon Ride Elite is designed to handle some serious self-driving action. What’s also cool about Snapdragon Ride Elite is that it’s built to evolve. Through over-the-air updates, the system can learn from real-world experiences – like encountering a new road condition – send that data to the cloud, and update itself. So your car’s AI keeps getting smarter over time.
Final Thoughts
So, whether you’re looking for the ultimate in-car entertainment experience, smarter AI, or the latest in autonomous driving tech, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis is bringing it all together. The new Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms are setting the stage for the future of driving.
