Qualcomm Launches Dual Chips: 12x AI Performance Boost!

On October 22, 2024, Qualcomm introduced its cutting-edge Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms at the Snapdragon Technology Summit in Hawaii. Powered by the custom Oryon CPU designed specifically for automotive applications, these platforms represent a significant leap in performance, with CPU and GPU capabilities enhanced by threefold and AI capabilities boosted by twelvefold compared to previous generations.

Set to debut in 2025, the Snapdragon platforms received endorsements from major automotive manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz and Li Auto, which announced plans to integrate the Snapdragon Elite automotive platforms into their upcoming production models. Both platforms leverage Qualcomm's proprietary Oryon CPU, aimed at delivering robust performance and advanced intelligence for the next generation of vehicles. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform focuses on providing a sophisticated digital cockpit experience, while the Snapdragon Ride Elite platform is tailored for intelligent driving functionalities. This adaptable architecture enables automotive manufacturers to seamlessly run digital cockpit and smart driving features on a single system-on-chip (SoC).

The latest Snapdragon platforms feature significant advancements over their predecessors. The Oryon CPU offers more than three times the performance, while the enhanced Adreno GPU provides over threefold improvements in rendering capabilities. The Hexagon NPU, designed for multimodal AI, enhances AI performance by twelve times, allowing real-time processing of external environment and cabin data to support instant decision-making, adaptive responses, and proactive assistance, ultimately enhancing user safety and in-vehicle experience. Additionally, the new platforms are engineered to minimize power consumption, ensuring vehicles operate more intelligently and for extended durations.

Equipped with a powerful and efficient camera system, the platforms feature an image signal processor (ISP) that delivers clear, responsive visuals even in extreme driving conditions. Designed to support over 40 multimodal sensors, including up to 20 high-resolution cameras, the Snapdragon automotive platforms achieve comprehensive 360-degree coverage and in-cabin monitoring. They are compatible with the latest and upcoming automotive sensors and formats, leveraging AI-enhanced imaging tools to optimize image quality and elevate in-vehicle experiences.

The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform also includes a rich multimedia feature set, supporting edge computing with integrated AI, optimized gaming, and advanced 3D graphics for an engaging user experience. Moreover, the platform is designed with safety and long-term support features, enabling the operation of dashboards, infotainment controls, and multiple passenger interfaces within independent virtual machines, allowing for seamless content and data sharing when needed.

Meanwhile, the Snapdragon Ride Elite platform provides a comprehensive end-to-end intelligent driving system, encompassing advanced features such as visual perception, sensor fusion, path planning, localization, and vehicle control—all of which can operate simultaneously without interference.

Both platforms meet the highest automotive safety standards, ASIL-D, and incorporate dedicated safety island controllers and robust hardware architecture to ensure isolated and interference-free operations, contributing to the reliable performance of specific ADAS functions.

Nakul Duggal, Qualcomm's Senior Vice President for Automotive, Industry Solutions, and Cloud, stated, "As the automotive industry evolves toward centralized computing, software-defined vehicles, and AI-driven architectures, Qualcomm remains at the forefront of innovation with products like the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms. With exceptional computational, graphical, and AI capabilities, combined with industry-leading energy efficiency and advanced software for empowering digital cockpit and intelligent driving functions, the new Snapdragon automotive platforms meet the industry's demands for higher computing levels, helping automotive manufacturers redefine the driving experience for their customers."

These innovative platforms are set to launch in 2025, with Qualcomm collaborating with automotive manufacturers, including Li Auto and Mercedes-Benz, to integrate the Snapdragon Elite platforms into future production vehicles.