New car chip does a lot at once: ‘It could make cars cheaper’

New car chip Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC should, according to Qualcomm, ensure that fewer separate chips are needed in cars. This can reduce costs and shorten development time for new vehicles, says Qualcomm IT chief Nakul Duggal. “We’re making it easier and cheaper for automakers.”

According to Duggal, fewer parts are needed and less working memory. Car brands are already testing Qualcomm’s new chip. The chip will be available from early 2024.

Since the corona crisis, car manufacturers have been facing a worldwide chip shortage, which has meant that they have been able to produce very few cars for several months.

Driver assistance and infotainment systems

According to Qualcomm, the new chip can be used for infotainment systems that use 3D navigation and voice control, for driver assistance systems, including cruise control, parking assistance and lane keeping assistance, and for new functions of self-driving. “Functions can work side by side on the same chipset.”

Qualcomm is known for its smartphone chips, but the American company recently expanded its activities into the automotive field. The chip giant now has many car brands as customers, good for $30 billion in sales. The new 4 nm chips in the Snapdragon Ride line are expected in production cars from 2025.

Nvidia and Foxconn will work together

Due to the development of electric vehicles and the expansion of driver assistance systems, more chip manufacturers have focused on cars in recent years, including Nvidia. The company announced at CES cooperation and Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn in the field of autonomous driving. Foxconn has also recently started supplying electric vehicles to car brands.

According to Nvidia, its chips, which, among other things, process information from sensors in real time, help Foxconn develop self-driving cars. Foxconn already makes electric cars for Lordstown Motors and has a contract to build Fisker’s new plug-in car. The Taiwanese company is best known as the largest producer of iPhones for Apple.

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