Stellantis drives Qualcomm partnership beyond cockpit and connectivity

As it looks to evolve its line of vehicles in a market place increasingly dependent on IT and communications, global automaker Stellantis has expanded its partnership with mobile technology platform provider Qualcomm. The move enables Level 2+ hands-free autonomy at scale across millions of vehicles on a single, unified platform, replacing the fragmented tech stacks that Stellantis said have long defined the industry.

As part of the deepened collaboration, Stellantis and Qualcomm Technologies have entered a non-binding letter of intent for the Stellantis-owned automated driving and simulation company, aiMotive, to join Qualcomm Technologies.

The stated core mission of Stellantis is to “give customers the freedom to choose the way they move”, embracing the latest technologies and creating value for all its stakeholders. Its portfolio of iconic and innovative automotive brands includes Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys.

The context of the evolution of the partnership is the dynamic that vehicles continue to evolve to be more centralised and technology-driven meaning the need for high-performance compute and AI capabilities is accelerating. The collaboration is designed to highlight the growing role of scalable semiconductor platforms in enabling faster innovation, improved efficiency and better experiences for customers.

Through its latest collaboration with Qualcomm, and by deployment of the Snapdragon Ride Pilot platform, Stellantis is said to be extending its  beyond cockpit and connectivity to power advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving, establishing a common, scalable technology foundation across its auto brands and driving cost efficiency through platform standardisation.

Together, Stellantis and Qualcomm Technologies are primarily aiming to deliver smarter, more intuitive and safer vehicle experiences to customers. It is also designed to deliver safer, smarter and more seamless in-vehicle experiences.

Qualcomm believes that what makes the collaboration particularly significant is its breadth. The technologies now power ADAS, cockpit, and connectivity across Stellantis vehicles – all integrated as a unified platform within STLA Brain, the digital backbone of Stellantis vehicles.

STLA Brain connects all electronic systems and enables over the air (OTA) updates enhancing cockpit, connectivity and ADAS performance. The scalable technology foundation aims to accelerate time to market, enable continuous feature upgrades and enhance the driving experience.

Its service-oriented architecture separates software from hardware and is attributed with delivering continuous innovation and AI readiness. The result is said to be a consistent foundation across the lineup, faster deployment and continuous over-the-air improvement, which is something Qualcomm said is hard to replicate.

Built to scale across brands and segments, Snapdragon Digital Chassis SoCs are being deployed to support Stellantis’ broader strategy to improve cost efficiency through platform standardisation. The agreement includes the Snapdragon Ride Pilot ADAS platform that can scale from active safety and regulatory features to Level 2+ hands-free autonomy and beyond, enabling ADAS features across millions of Stellantis vehicles.  

Building on existing work across cockpit and connectivity, the expanded collaboration will attempt to support greater compute performance and AI-driven capabilities across Stellantis’ vehicle portfolio.

“Our customers deserve seamless, next-generation experiences that continuously evolve to meet their driving needs. By deploying this intelligent platform across our global portfolio, Stellantis is delivering on that promise with unprecedented speed and efficiency,” said Ned Curic, Stellantis chief engineering and technology officer. “This is made possible through our strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, which allows us to scale smarter, connected capabilities across all our brands.”

Nakul Duggal, executive vice-president and group general manager, automotive, industrial and embedded IoT of Qualcomm Technologies, added: “This expansion reflects the scale and depth of what Qualcomm and Stellantis have built together. Snapdragon Digital Chassis enables scalable deployment of unified compute power and advanced driving capabilities across vehicles and brands, and extending that across the full Stellantis portfolio marks a meaningful inflection point for both companies and for the drivers who experience it.”

As it was announcing its collaboration, Qualcomm revealed that its automotive business has surpassed $5bn in annual revenue and is tracking toward $6bn this fiscal year, with more than one million vehicles already in production running ADAS on Snapdragon Ride, stating that this marked a clear shift from roadmap to real-world deployment. ADAS now represents roughly a third of the company’s automotive pipeline.