Qualcomm and AWS collaborate to develop the software defined vehicle

US giants Qualcomm and AWS reckon they can use their collective might to expedite the process of making vehicles umbilically connected to the cloud.

The partnership was announced at the IAA Mobility trade show, from where Qualcomm managed a staggering total of six distinct press releases today. Software is an increasingly central part of the automotive proposition and thus also a commercial differentiator. Accordingly vehicle makers want to have as much control over the software development and update process as possible, which is where the cloud comes in.

AWS is the world’s biggest public cloud player and has a clear interest in facilitating this technological trend. Qualcomm, meanwhile, has arguably even more at stake in trying to make itself the primary chip provider for this massive sector. One way in which they hope this new collaboration will provide value to auto firms is the ability to muck about with Qualcomm’s software stack, which powers a vehicle’s computer vision system for advanced safety functions, in the cloud before taking the plunge and installing it in a vehicle.

“Software-defined development in automotive is increasingly prevalent, requiring automakers, Tier 1s and automotive developers to ramp up efforts and find novel ways of accelerating the vehicle design process,” said Wendy Bauer, GM of Automotive and Manufacturing at AWS. “Learning from one another, while helping joint customers like BMW deliver on their visions, we’re confident that the industry will benefit for years to come.”

“The Qualcomm Cloud AI 100 Solution and Snapdragon Ride Platforms power automotive innovation for leading automakers,” said Nakul Duggal, GM of automotive & cloud computing at Qualcomm. “AWS’s breadth of services and capabilities help unlock new possibilities for transformation in the industry. Through our technology collaboration with AWS, we’ll share best practices and deliver on our joint vision of collaborative automotive innovation.”

So, onto those other releases. A lot of them concerned something called the Snapdragon Digital Chassis portfolio, which has been expanded to cover more vehicle types. To be honest we’ve kind of lost track of Qualcomm’s automotive sub-brands but they all seem to help with safety and infotainment to some extent.

There were specific the Snapdragon Digital Chassis announcements with BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Jaguar Land Rover, suggesting this technology is designed for the higher end of the market, at least for now. Having said that, there was another announcement with Indian SUV maker Mahindra. Most of the announcements anticipate cars bearing this tech will hit the roads at some time in 2025.

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