BMW Group, Qualcomm Technologies introduce new automated driving system
BMW Group and Qualcomm Technologies introduced a new automated driving (AD) system on Friday following three years of collaboration, according to a press release.
The AD system, Snapdragon Ride Pilot, uses system-on-chips (SoCs) and an AD software stack co-developed by both companies, the release says. It says the system is engineered to meet the highest safety standards and supports AD levels ranging from entry-level New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) to Level 2+ highway and urban navigation on autopilot (NOA) capabilities.
The Snapdragon Ride Pilot made its global debut in the all-new BMW iX3, the release says. It is the first production vehicle in BMW’s Neue Klasse and has been validated for use in more than 60 countries, with expected expansion to more than 100 countries in 2026, the release says. The pilot is available to all global automakers and Tier-1 suppliers through Qualcomm Technologies.
More than 1,400 specialists worked on the Snapdragon Ride AD software stack used in the ride pilot, the release says. The specialists worked out of various locations, including Germany, the U.S., Sweden, Romania, and the BMW AD Test Center in the Czech Republic.
“Our collaboration with BMW’s world-class engineering team has been truly transformative, enabling us to build a world-class system that is now available to bring the safety and comfort benefits of automated driving to consumers across all regions and vehicle tiers,” said Nakul Duggal, Qualcomm Technologies group general manager of Automotive and Industrial & Embedded IoT, in the release. “Together, we’ve created Snapdragon Ride Pilot — a revolutionary driver assistance system that prioritizes safety and sets a new standard for the industry. We’re excited to see this system come to life in the BMW iX3, supporting BMW’s vision for intelligent and safe driving, and we anticipate its widespread adoption will drive a new era of innovation and excellence in mobility solutions.”
Mihiar Ayoubi, BMW senior vice president of Development Driving Experience, said the groundbreaking system is a significant contribution to the technological leap BMW has taken with its Neue Klasse.
“This collaboration has enabled us to develop a cutting-edge driver assistance system, setting a new benchmark,” Ayoubi says in the release. “Smart, symbiotic, and safe is the core of the BMW philosophy when it comes to ADAS — our new BMW iX3 will deliver this on an unprecedented level.”
The software stack is developed with multiple layers to give suppliers flexibility.
This includes a 360-degree perception using a camera-based vision stack for object detection, surround view, lane recognition, traffic sign interpretation, parking assistance, driving monitoring, and mapping.
“Perception performance is enhanced through low-level perception using bird-eye-view (BEV) architecture and new methods for information extraction from fisheye cameras,” the release says. “The low-level perception between camera and radar is designed to reduce tracking latency, optimize system performance in active safety scenarios, and detect complex urban intersections.”
Snapdragon Ride Pilot also prioritizes safety with a commitment to Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL) and Functional Safety (FuSa) standards, including supporting NCAP and FMVSS127 (NHTSA’s AEB Rule) safety regulations. The pilot follows Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF), a term used to define how automakers find safety limitations in autonomous features. It also incorporates cybersecurity measures, including multi-layered encryption and threat detection, the release says.
Advanced context-aware driving operates with a balance of rule-based and AI-based models for behavior prediction and planning, assisting in safe handling of complex driving scenarios, the release says.
Real-world and synthetic data generation, as well as AI simulations, were used to create a robust and diverse set of driving scenarios in a simulation factor for stack development and testing, according to the release.
The pilot also supports over-the-air (OTA) updates and is customizable via the Snapdragon Ride SDK, which gives automakers the flexibility to tailor solutions across vehicle segments, the release says. It adds that the software leverages fleet data to evolve and enable enhanced safety and comfort over the life of the vehicle.
In the BMW iX3, the automated driving system includes contextual lane change and overtaking, the release says. The system initiates maneuvers based on subtle driver cues, like mirror glances or steering nudges.
It also uses active lane change and highway assistant for hands-free driving on approved road networks.
The vehicle also has ecosystem provided AI-powered slot detection parking assistance and camera-based in-cabin monitoring.
The release says that BMW’s “superbrain of automated driving” is the central intelligent computer powered by Snapdragon Ride SoCs. It combines automated driving functions that offer computing power 20 times higher than the previous generations.
“The system uses a unified architecture which includes an array of high definition 8M pixel and 3M pixel cameras and radar sensors, enabling 360-degree coverage, and along with high-definition mapping and precise GNSS localization, enables a robust system helping to enable safe and reliable automated driving,” the release says.
Qualcomm Technologies’ V2X 200 chipset also supports vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications for enhanced safety. The communications will allow vehicles to see and hear beyond line-of-sight ADAS sensors, helping reduce collisions by uncovering unseen risks through direct communication between vehicles and their surroundings, such as road infrastructure, pedestrians, and other road users.
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Photo courtesy of BMW.