BMW and Qualcomm announce jointly developed driver assistance system

BMW and Qualcomm have announced a jointly developed driver-assistance system, Snapdragon Ride Pilot, which will debut on the BMW iX3 electric SUV. The system offers hands-free highway driving, automatic lane changes, and parking assistance, but it is a Level 2+ system, meaning the driver is still responsible for supervising the vehicle's movements. The software stack includes a 360-degree perception system, an advanced context-aware driving layer, and a safety-first approach with cybersecurity features and compliance with global car safety standards. Snapdragon Ride Pilot is being offered to all global automakers and is already validated in 60 countries, with the aim of availability in more than 100 countries by 2026. This partnership is the latest high-tech product for cars from Qualcomm, which has also worked with Google on AI voice systems and Volvo on infotainment systems. Qualcomm is not the only player in the self-driving market, with companies like NVIDIA and Mobileye also developing chips and software for advanced driver-assistance systems.