Qualcomm and Alphabet Team Up for Automotive AI; Mercedes Inks Chip Deal

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By Hiba Akbar

Qualcomm said that it and Alphabet teamed up for automotive AI over the Mercedes ink chip deal.

Key Takeaways

  • Qualcomm announced its partnership with Alphabet’s Google.
  • Both companies’ technologies will contribute to allowing manufacturers to create their own AI voice assistants.
  • Qualcomm collaborates with Google to create an Android Automotive OS version compatible with Qualcomm chips.
  • Qualcomm also announced two new chips called the Snapdragon Ride Elite and the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite.
Qualcomm website interface on laptop.

On Tuesday, Qualcomm announced its partnership with Alphabet’s Google. They united to provide a combination of chips and software, allowing manufacturers to create their own AI voice assistants utilizing technologies from both companies.

Qualcomm’s chips used Google’s Android operating system to build long-powered smartphones. They are now also showing their expertise in the automotive industry, providing chips that can power General Motors automated driving systems and car dashboards, among other things. 

Qualcomm further said on Tuesday that they are collaborating with Google to create an Android Automotive OS version compatible with Qualcomm chips.

Google’s Android Automotive OS is a product that automakers utilize in the background to operate car computer systems, even though many customers are accustomed to Apple CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, which display apps from a phone when connected to a car. 

Automakers can leverage the combined offering and Google’s AI technology to develop unique voice assistants for their brand that don’t require a driver’s phone, according to Qualcomm and Google.

 A group manager for automotive at Qualcomm, Nakul Duggal said,

“Typically, we have operated together, but independently—we plan a lot of things together, but we go to customers separately.” 

He further added over the Qualcomm-Google relationship.

“We decided we should think about this differently because it will reduce a lot of friction and confusion.”

Qualcomm also announced two new chips on Tuesday: the Snapdragon Ride Elite for self-driving and the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite for dashboard power.

Although the two companies did not specify when or which vehicles would utilize the Snapdragon Elite Cockpit chip, they did note that Mercedes-Benz Group intends to use the technology in future automobiles.

Innovations are hanging around to be released in the future, and companies are working tirelessly to make the future more hypertech. Recently, Meta also released a new batch of AI models along with a “self-taught evaluator” that can be employed to check other models, such as ChatGPT’s work, for accuracy.

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