[AutonomousVehicles] official announcement about qualcomm new autonomous system for BMW

[Cornelius Butler]

Below is the link to the article and the full article text for the new
autonomous system announced by Qualcomm for BMW.

Article Link:
https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2025/09/qualcomm-and-bmw-group-unveil-groundbreaking-automated-driving-s

Article Text:

Qualcomm and BMW Group Unveil Groundbreaking Automated Driving System with
Jointly Developed Software Stack
Sep 5, 2025
SAN DIEGO


Highlights:

AI-enabled Snapdragon Ride Pilot Automated Driving System, powered by
Snapdragon Ride system-on-chips and a new jointly developed automated
driving software stack, debuts in the all-new BMW iX3 at IAA Mobility 2025.
System is validated in 60 countries worldwide and is targeted to be
available in more than 100 countries by 2026.
Scalable platform enabling cost-efficient single camera active safety
system and scaling up to a multi-camera multi-radar L2+ highway and urban
automated driving functions.
Data-driven stack is continuously updated with information from global
fleets, supported by a cloud-based data flywheel system.
Snapdragon Ride Pilot is now offered by Qualcomm to all global automakers
and Tier-1 suppliers.
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) and BMW Group today introduced
Snapdragon Ride Pilot, the companies’ new automated driving (AD) system
resulting from a three-year collaborative effort. This state-of-the-art AD
system is built on Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride™ system-on-chips
(SoCs) using the leading-edge Snapdragon Ride AD software stack
co-developed by both companies. 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. Snapdragon Ride Pilot made its global
debut today in the all-new BMW iX3, the first production vehicle in BMW’s
Neue Klasse and has been validated for use in more than 60 countries with
expected expansion to over 100 countries in 2026. Snapdragon Ride Pilot is
now available to all global automakers and Tier-1 suppliers through
Qualcomm Technologies.

The development of the Snapdragon Ride AD software stack in Snapdragon Ride
Pilot is a testament of global collaboration, with over 1,400 specialists
from various locations, including Germany, the USA, Sweden, Romania and the
BMW AD Test Center in the Czech Republic, working together for three years
to bring this technology to life.


“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, Group
General Manager, Automotive and Industrial & Embedded IoT, Qualcomm
Technologies, Inc. "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.”

“Together with Qualcomm Technologies, we've created a groundbreaking
system, which is a significant contribution to the big technological leap
we take with our Neue Klasse," said Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi, Senior Vice
President Development Driving Experience, BMW Group. “This collaboration
has enabled us to develop a cutting-edge driver assistance system, setting
a new benchmark. 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.”

Introducing the Snapdragon Ride AD Software Stack
The Snapdragon Ride AD software stack features a perception stack developed
by Qualcomm Technologies and a drive policy engine co-developed with BMW.
It is engineered to enable automakers and Tier-1 suppliers to build
scalable solutions with flexibility, cost savings and fast time-to-market,
with their own drive policy or with a turnkey platform.

The stack is structured into multiple layers including:

360-Degree Perception: The system uses a camera-based vision stack for
object detection, surround view, lane recognition, traffic sign
interpretation, parking assistance, driver 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 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. To improve
computational efficiency, hardware and software co-design along with
network architecture search are applied to manage compute resources and
memory bandwidth.
Safety-First Approach: Snapdragon Ride Pilot prioritizes safety through a
steadfast commitment to Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL) and
Functional Safety (FuSa) standards, supporting compliance with the latest
safety regulations, including NCAP, FMVSS127 and DCAS. Snapdragon Ride
Pilot also addresses Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF) and
incorporates robust cybersecurity measures, featuring multi-layered
encryption and threat detection to help safeguard against potential threats.
Advanced context-aware driving: Uses a balance of rule-based and AI-based
models for behavior prediction and behavior planning to help enable safe
handling of complex driving scenarios.
Stack development and testing is supported by the data and simulation
factory, a key component of Snapdragon Ride. This toolchain integrates
real-world data with synthetic data generation and AI-based simulations to
create a robust and diverse set of driving scenarios, enhancing the
training and testing of automotive models. The factory's capabilities allow
for fast development of automated driving software capable of addressing
complex real-world scenarios.

Snapdragon Ride Pilot supports over-the-air (OTA) updates and is fully
customizable via the Snapdragon Ride SDK, giving automakers the flexibility
to tailor solutions across vehicle segments. The software stack leverages
fleet data to evolve and enable enhanced safety and comfort over the life
of the vehicle.


Snapdragon Ride Platform Powers Automated Driving in BMW´s Neue Klasse
The ADAS system in the all-new BMW iX3 is built on Snapdragon Ride, which
integrates high-performance, automotive-grade systems-on-chip (SoCs) for
centralized sensor data processing, advanced computer vision modules for
perception, and Snapdragon Ride Automated Driving software stack
co-developed with BMW – including drive policy and safety guardrails.

The automated driving system of the BMW iX3 enables advanced capabilities
including:

Contextual lane change and overtaking: the system initiates maneuvers based
on subtle driver cues like mirror glances or steering nudges.
Active lane change and highway assistant: hands-free driving on approved
road networks.
Ecosystem provided AI-powered slot detection parking assistance and
camera-based in-cabin monitoring
BMW's “Superbrain of Automated Driving” – a central intelligent computer
powered by Snapdragon Ride SoCs – combines automated driving functions,
offering 20 times higher computing power than the previous generation. 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 BMW iX3 is also equipped with Qualcomm Technologies’ V2X 200 chipset to
support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications for enhanced safety. V2X
communications allows 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.

To learn more about our Snapdragon Ride system solutions, please read here
or visit us at IAA Mobility 2025 in Hall A2, Booth C01, beginning on
Monday, September 8.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm relentlessly innovates to deliver intelligent computing
everywhere, helping the world tackle some of its most important challenges.
Building on our 40 years of technology leadership in creating era-defining
breakthroughs, we deliver a broad portfolio of solutions built with our
leading-edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled
connectivity. Our Snapdragon® platforms power extraordinary consumer
experiences, and our Qualcomm Dragonwing™ products empower businesses and
industries to scale to new heights. Together with our ecosystem partners,
we enable next-generation digital transformation to enrich lives, improve
businesses, and advance societies. At Qualcomm, we are engineering human
progress.

Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast
majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary
of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries,
substantially all of our engineering and research and development functions
and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including
our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products
are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
Qualcomm patents are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated.
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