Qualcomm is advancing its connected car business and has announced a series of partnerships with leading companies such as Google, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
First, Qualcomm is collaborating with Google Cloud to enhance the intelligence of your car. This initiative aims to combine Google’s Gemini AI model with Qualcomm Snapdragon Digital Chassis hardware, allowing drivers to say goodbye to clunky voice commands.
The next generation of in-vehicle AI will be able to handle complex conversations, understand multiple requests, and even anticipate your needs.
Thanks to its intelligent hybrid approach—combining the car’s own processing power with cloud resources—this in-vehicle AI solution is designed to be both fast and powerful, providing a personalized and convenient experience for everyone in the vehicle.
“AI will fundamentally redefine automakers’ ability to deliver in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle experiences, making them more intuitive, personalized, and convenient for drivers and passengers,” explained Shiv Venkataraman, Vice President of Applied AI at Google Cloud.
Truly Practical Autonomous Driving
Google is upgrading the “brain” of its next-generation connected cars, while Qualcomm’s three-year collaboration with BMW has provided the matching responsiveness. The culmination is the Snapdragon Ride Pilot autonomous driving system, a brand-new system that just debuted in BMW’s futuristic iX3, the first model in BMW’s “Neue Klasse” (new level) series.
This system is designed to handle a wide range of tasks, from standard safety assistance to Level 2+ autonomous driving on highways and autonomous driving in urban traffic.
To achieve this autonomous driving capability, the vehicle utilizes a 360-degree surround-view imaging system built from a series of cameras and radar sensors to detect objects, identify lanes, and understand the surrounding environment.
Dr. Mischel Ayub, Senior Vice President and Head of Driving Experience Development at the BMW Group, stated: “Our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies has created a groundbreaking system that makes a significant contribution to the major technological leap forward in our new model (Neue Klasse).”
“Intelligence, collaboration, and safety are at the heart of BMW’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) philosophy. The new BMW iX3 interprets these concepts at an unprecedented level.” “
Qualcomm technology is helping to create the connected car cockpit of the future, now a reality
Qualcomm technology also powers the connected digital cockpit of the latest Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The all-electric CLA and the new electric GLC both utilize the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, creating a cockpit that is a true mobile multimedia hub.
The powerful Snapdragon Cockpit platform drives the Mercedes-Benz User Experience System (MBUX), supporting multiple clear, high-resolution displays, 3D augmented reality navigation that overlays navigation information onto real-time traffic conditions, and even gaming capabilities.
Like everything in 2025, the system uses artificial intelligence to learn user habits, providing practical suggestions and creating a highly personalized journey for each passenger. With Qualcomm’s audio technology and Dolby Atmos, it also delivers an immersive audio experience.
Magnus Östberg, Chief Software Officer of Mercedes-Benz AG, commented: ‘Integrating the Snapdragon Cockpit platform into our proprietary MB.OS operating system, making it a core component, allows us to provide our customers with an exceptional experience.’ ‘Our latest generation of models will deliver a seamless, high-performance in-car experience.’” “
Bringing Advanced Technologies to More Vehicle Models
To ensure these connected car innovations aren’t limited to the high-end market, Qualcomm is deepening its collaboration with global automotive supplier Valeo.
By combining the power of Snapdragon processors and software with Valeo’s expertise in sensors, automated parking systems, and integration, the two companies are creating a ready-made solution for automakers.
This collaboration will provide automakers with a pre-integrated software package, including sensors, computers, and software, to support features such as autonomous driving and automated parking. This enables manufacturers to more easily, quickly, and efficiently bring next-generation driving experiences to market and apply them to a wider range of vehicle models.
Marc Vrecko, CEO of Valeo Brain, stated, “Together, we’ve created a complete system solution that integrates industry-leading hardware, software, and systems expertise, providing automakers with a flexible and future-proof platform to meet the evolving needs of drivers worldwide.”
Through these broad collaborations, Qualcomm is not only driving the development of connected cars but also providing their digital foundation.