Qualcomm introduces new Snapdragon automotive 5G platform for smart cars

Chip maker Qualcomm on Monday announced the latest addition to its growing Snapdragon Digital Chassis connected car technology portfolio with its Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 in Barcelona.

Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF systems are the world's first commercial modem-to-antenna 5G solution.

Sampling today with global automakers, it will be commercially available in late 2023, said the company.

"As the culmination of Qualcomm Incorporated's more than 20-year history connecting cars with our telematics or auto connectivity platform, the Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 further harnesses the power of 5G for vehicles to assist automakers in democratising access to smart, connected vehicle experiences," Nakul Duggal, Senior Vice President and GM, automotive, Qualcomm Technologies, said in a statement.

The new Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 platform will provide 50 per cent more processing power, 40 per cent power efficiency gains, and greater than two times the maximum throughput for secure, reliable and seamless connectivity, as compared to the previous generation.

Equipped with the latest advancements in 5G, car owners will now have the broadband to enjoy the comfort and convenient experiences of a vehicle, home and office in one space.

"5G will continue to unlock the future of automotive and transportation, and we're proud to accelerate the pace of wireless innovation in these industries," Duggal added.

Moreover, the Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 will also introduce a new form of communication to the automotive industry with support for satellite communications, helping to ensure connectivity is ubiquitously available for applications that utilise two-way messaging.

It will also deliver ultra-low latency for safety applications and mission-critical services to enable improved media streaming, and cloud gaming along with premium navigation and mapping, according to the company.

Further, it will support a comprehensive connected services platform powered by Snapdragon Car-to-Cloud Services, enabling connected services for dynamically configurable, software-defined vehicles.