Qualcomm & BMW Group Unveil Jointly Developed Automated Driving System

Qualcomm Technologies Inc. and BMW Group have introduced Snapdragon Ride Pilot, the companies’ new automated driving (AD) system resulting from a three-year collaborative effort. The system is built on Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride system-on-chips (SoCs) using the 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, company officials stated in a press release.

Snapdragon Ride Pilot made its global debut Sept. 5, 2025, 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.

Snapdragon Ride Pilot Required Major Collaboration Over Three Years

The development of the Snapdragon Ride AD software stack in Snapdragon Ride Pilot involved the global collaboration of more than 1,400 specialists from countries including Germany, the U.S., Sweden, Romania and the BMW AD Test Center in the Czech Republic.

“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.”

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, noted the press release.

Stack development and testing are 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 Platform Powers Automated Driving in BMW’s Neue Klasse

The ADAS system in the all-new BMW iX3 is built on Snapdragon Ride. BMW says the “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 that 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, stated company officials.

The Snapdragon Ride system solution is currently on display at IAA Mobility 2025.