Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and BMW Group today introduced the Snapdragon Ride Pilot, their new automated driving (AD) system from a three-year collaboration. This advanced system utilizes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Ride system-on-chips (SoCs) and the Snapdragon Ride AD software stack co-developed by both companies. Engineered for high safety standards, it supports AD levels from entry-level NCAP to Level 2+ highway and urban navigation on autopilot (NOA). The Snapdragon Ride Pilot debuted in the all-new BMW iX3, the first of BMW’s Neue Klasse, validated for use in over 60 countries with plans to expand to over 100 by 2026. It is available to all global automakers and Tier-1 suppliers through Qualcomm.
The development of the Snapdragon Ride AD software stack in Snapdragon Ride Pilot showcases global collaboration, with over 1,400 specialists from 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 which 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 GM, Automotive and Industrial & Embedded IoT, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Together, we’ve created the Snapdragon Ride Pilot, a revolutionary driver assistance system for the industry 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 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 includes a perception system from Qualcomm and a drive policy engine made with BMW. It’s designed to help automakers and Tier-1 suppliers create adaptable solutions that are cost-effective and quick to market, using their own drive policy or a complete 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 facilitated by the data and simulation factory, a crucial part of Snapdragon Ride. This toolchain combines real-world data with AI-driven synthetic data generation to provide a wide range of driving scenarios for automotive model training and testing.
Snapdragon Ride Pilot enables over-the-air (OTA) updates and is fully customizable via the Snapdragon Ride SDK, allowing automakers to tailor solutions for various vehicle segments. The software stack utilizes fleet data to enhance safety and comfort throughout the vehicle’s lifespan.
Snapdragon Ride Platform Powers Automated Driving in BMW´s Neue Klasse
The ADAS system in the new BMW iX3 uses Snapdragon Ride. This system combines powerful computer chips for processing data from sensors, advanced vision systems for understanding surroundings, and driving software developed with BMW, which includes rules for safe driving and decision-making.
The automated driving system in the BMW iX3 offers advanced features like:
- 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” is a powerful computer using Snapdragon Ride chips. It offers 20 times the computing power compared to the old version. This system works with a unified setup that includes high-definition 8M and 3M pixel cameras and radar sensors, providing 360-degree coverage. With detailed maps and accurate GNSS localization, it creates a strong system for safe automated driving.
The BMW iX3 also features Qualcomm’s V2X 200 chipset, which enables vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication for better safety. This technology helps vehicles detect dangers beyond what traditional sensors can see, reducing accidents by allowing vehicles to share information with each other and their surroundings, like road signs, pedestrians, and other drivers.
To learn more about Snapdragon Ride system solutions, please read here or visit the IAA Mobility 2025 in Hall A2, Booth C01, beginning on Monday, September 8.