As global industries rapidly shift towards digitalisation and automation, the demand for advanced semiconductors and AI-driven technologies has surged significantly. Chip innovation and AI capabilities have become crucial for meeting growing consumer expectations for smarter, safer, and more efficient products across sectors such as automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, and telecommunications. The automotive industry, in particular, faces mounting pressures for innovation driven by the need for sustainable mobility, heightened safety standards, and enhanced user experiences.
At AMPA 2025, ST Liew, Vice President of Qualcomm Technologies and President of Taiwan & Southeast Asia operations, delivered an expansive presentation titled “Unlocking Next Generation Auto Innovation with AI,” providing deep insights into how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the automotive sector and shaping the future of mobility.
Qualcomm, renowned globally for pioneering breakthroughs in mobile communications, has steadily expanded its technological expertise into numerous sectors, including automotive innovation. Founded in 1985, Qualcomm has been instrumental in developing critical technologies such as CDMA, 4G LTE, and 5G. This history of innovation forms the foundation upon which Qualcomm is now transforming automotive technology through AI and advanced connectivity solutions.
Liew began by envisioning the future landscape of mobility, highlighting dramatic shifts on the horizon.
“Autonomous taxis, vacuum-speed trains, and flying vehicles will soon become part of our daily lives. Mobility today is multi-dimensional,” he stated. These futuristic modes of transportation, according to Liew, are being driven significantly by AI, which is rapidly redefining automotive intelligence, electrification, and automation.
Central to Qualcomm’s automotive strategy is the Snapdragon Digital Chassis. This innovative and comprehensive platform is designed to address the multifaceted demands of modern vehicle technology. Liew detailed the four main pillars of this platform: Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Cockpit, Snapdragon Ride, and Snapdragon Car-to-Cloud.
Explaining Snapdragon Connectivity, Liew emphasized its crucial role, noting, “Connectivity ensures vehicles are constantly connected, providing precise location services and infotainment through technologies like 5G.” Qualcomm’s long-standing expertise in 5G technology enables seamless vehicle communication, both internally and with external networks, facilitating advanced navigation, real-time updates, and entertainment services.
The Snapdragon Cockpit was described by Liew as transformative, significantly enhancing user experiences inside vehicles. He elaborated, “The Snapdragon Cockpit transforms AI into real experiences, delivering multimedia and immersive interactions, essential in modern vehicles.” This technology elevates traditional vehicle cabins into intelligent spaces, where voice recognition, gesture controls, and personalised multimedia become the norm.
Snapdragon Ride, another key pillar, represents Qualcomm’s advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). Liew described this system as central to vehicle safety and navigation precision, stating, “This is where our ADAS, safety, and drive trajectory management come into play.” Snapdragon Ride employs AI to process vast amounts of sensor data, enabling real-time decision-making that significantly enhances vehicle safety and efficiency.
The final pillar, Snapdragon Car-to-Cloud, facilitates continuous updates and the seamless delivery of cloud-based services. According to Liew, this pillar ensures vehicles remain current and secure. “Constant updates and cloud connectivity are crucial for software-defined vehicles, enabling new functionalities and security patches to be delivered efficiently,” he noted.
Discussing the broader industry shift towards software-defined vehicles, Liew said, “Gone are the days when OEMs focused solely on engines, design, and safety. The cockpit experience and productivity are now extremely important, defined predominantly by software and AI.”
He emphasised that software-defined vehicles open substantial market opportunities, projecting growth from $24 billion to $440 billion by 2034.
Qualcomm’s latest innovations, such as the Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon ADAS Elite platforms powered by the newly developed Orion CPU, further exemplify the company’s commitment to automotive technology. Liew explained, “Orion provides robust computing and processing power tailored specifically for multi-modal AI.” These capabilities allow vehicles to seamlessly integrate diverse data sources, from environmental sensors to driver behavior, offering highly personalised driving experiences.
Liew further highlighted the importance of edge AI, which Qualcomm specialises in. He defined edge AI as “low latency, energy-efficient, and confidential, since data remains localized.” This approach ensures that vehicles process data directly onboard, reducing dependency on external networks, enhancing privacy, and delivering instantaneous responses crucial for applications like autonomous driving.
Qualcomm’s approach involves extensive collaboration within the automotive ecosystem. Liew underlined the importance of these partnerships, stating, “Ecosystem partnerships are essential for scaling innovations. We collaborate closely with global partners to ensure the widespread adoption and integration of our technologies.” This collaboration enables Qualcomm to leverage combined expertise across industries, driving faster and more comprehensive adoption of new technologies.
Liew concluded by asserting the transformational nature of these advancements. “Cars are evolving into highly demanding computing platforms,” he said. “Silicon and software advancements are catching up, creating new possibilities. Edge AI is central to driving this growth and shaping our automotive future.”
