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On Friday, the BMW Group and Qualcomm jointly introduced a new assisted driving system. On the recently released BMW iX3 SUV, the system—known as the Snapdragon Ride Pilot automatic driving system—debuted. Qualcomm created the Snapdragon Ride SoC as part of this collaboration, and the two businesses collaborated to create the Snapdragon Ride AD software stack. The advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) can provide up to Level 2+ highway and urban navigation on autopilot (NOA) capabilities, according to the chipmaker.
BMW iX3 Gets the First Look at Qualcomm's New Automated Driving System
The chipmaker demonstrated the capabilities of its recently created in-car ADAS stack. According to the business, it supports AD levels from Level 2+ to the entry-level New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). As previously stated, the technology debuted with the BMW iX3, the company's first Neue Klasse automobile. It has reportedly been approved for usage in over 60 nations. In 2026, Snapdragon Ride is anticipated to be available in 100 countries.
More than 1,400 experts from Germany, the USA, Sweden, Romania, and the BMW AD Test Centre in the Czech Republic participated in the international development.
Qualcomm built a perception stack and BMW co-designed a drive policy engine as part of the basic Snapdragon Ride AD software stack. A camera-based vision system based on a bird's-eye-view (BEV) architecture is used for parking assistance, lane identification, and object detection in its 360-degree perception.
Qualcomm claims that the Snapdragon Ride Pilot prioritized a "safety-first approach," including industry standards like Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF), Functional Safety (FuSa), and Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL). For sophisticated, context-aware driving that can safely manage challenging situations, the system strikes a compromise between rule-based and AI models. Over-the-air (OTA) updates are supported, and it is continually enhanced using a cloud-based data flywheel system.
The system serves as the BMW iX3's core "superbrain of automated driving," providing 20 times the processing capability of the model's predecessor. Advanced features like hands-free highway driving, AI-powered parking assistance, and contextual lane changes triggered by driver inputs are made possible by it. Additionally, the car has Qualcomm's V2X chipset, which enables it to interact with its environment to prevent crashes and identify hidden dangers.
Qualcomm is currently offering the Snapdragon Ride Pilot to all international automakers and Tier-1 suppliers.
