From smartphones to tablets, the trend today is toward powerful mobile devices that connect to ultra-fast networks and deliver compelling, rich multimedia experiences. But these portable devices are only part of the story…there’s another, bigger mobile device to add to the discussion—the car. Yes, the automobile—your 3000 lb. mobile device—is fast becoming one of those “things” we just expect to be connected, complete with digital music, navigation, streaming multimedia, Internet access, larger screens and more.
Since 2002, Qualcomm Technologies Inc. (QTI)—an entity you’ve associated with traditional mobile devices—has been creating industry-leading connectivity solutions for automobile manufacturers around the world. Yesterday at CES, QTI announced the availability of Snapdragon Automotive Solutions, featuring an automotive grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 602A processor that together with QTI’s 3G/4G LTE wireless modems and connectivity (Wi-Fi/BT) solutions, creates a complete automotive connected infotainment technology package.
Cars equipped with Snapdragon Automotive Solutions (SAS)— including QTI’s industry-leading, proven Gobi modem technology already embedded in more than 10 million vehicles worldwide for telematics—will have the processing power to access the Internet, stream different media on up to three screens simultaneously, run real-time, enhanced navigation, and play Internet radio as well as on-demand video.
Under the hood of the SAS you’ll find the Snapdragon 602A processor with support for Android and QNX high level operating systems and associated application frameworks, and Gobi multimode 3G/4G LTE modems, making it easier for infotainment system integrators to design rich, connected infotainment user experiences.
The Snapdragon 602A has been specifically engineered to meet the standards set by the automotive industry to address the grueling environment inside our cars. Yes, grueling. Imagine how cold it gets inside a parked car during a sub-zero winter storm in North Dakota … or how hot it gets inside that same car during a summer heat wave in Arizona… or imagine getting tossed around in a 4x4 truck going full tilt off road and getting covered in desert silt. Automotive grade components must be able to withstand these extremes and still perform as if the environment is a comfortable 70⁰F/21⁰C. Also consider how long car components must last—on average, Americans keep their cars for more than 10 years.
In addition, the solution includes QTI’s VIVE Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity technology, allowing owners to bring their mobile phones into the car and “mirror” the display content on the car’s display interfaces… wirelessly!
The Snapdragon processor also opens the door for automobile OEMs to incorporate features such as gesture and facial recognition into their vehicle infotainment systems. Personally, I’d like to see a system that recognizes my face and allows me, and only me, to change the music in my car. We’ve all had “that guy” in the passenger seat who clicks through all your presets and playlists looking for content that’s OK to him—you know who I’m talking about.
If you’re at CES, come by Booth #8252 in the Central Hall and check out some of the latest technologies* we are enabling in the automotive industry. What you’ll see is a testament to Qualcomm Technologies’ commitment to transforming the connected car and now, connected infotainment. Learn more about the release of Snapdragon Automotive Solutions here.
**Actual feature availability is dependent upon automobile OEM specifications.
Qualcomm Gobi and Qualcomm Snapdragon are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Qualcomm Vive is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
