Stellantis Collaborates With Qualcomm To Provide The Latest Connected-Car Technology

JAKARTA - Carmaker Stellantis announced on Thursday April 14 that it has signed a multi-year agreement to use Qualcomm's next-generation connected-car technology in its vehicle lineup.

Fourteen of Stellantis' car brands, including Peugeot, Fiat and Jeep, will use Qualcomm's vehicle cockpits. While 5G telematics technology starting in 2024 will be used for the first time for the Maserati brand.

Stellantis Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said in a statement that the collaboration helps companies more closely manage the complete electronics supply chain.

Qualcomm's general manager of autos, Nakul Duggal, told Reuters that more automakers were now working directly with chipmakers rather than relying solely on their other suppliers to act as intermediaries.

"If you go back even a few years, it's very unusual for (car makers) to make decisions like this. It's now becoming much more common," Duggal said.

He added that Qualcomm's recent acquisition of self-driving technology software company Arriver gives it what it calls a "digital chassis" namely the ability to offer a full set of driver assistance and self-driving capabilities in addition to cockpit and telematics technology. But this deal with Stellantis doesn't include the newer offering.

Qualcomm says that since it first launched its driver assistance and self-driving system called Snapdragon Ride, by 2020, its network of automotive deals had grown to $13 billion last year from $3 billion previously (IDR 43 trillion) in 2017.

In a statement, the two companies said the in-car communication and infotainment system for Stellantis was being jointly designed and engineered with tech giant Amazon.com and Taiwanese manufacturing company Foxconn.