Gasgoo Awards 2023 applicant: The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms from Qualcomm

Product: The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms 

Description

The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms are the industry-leading automotive solution introduced by Qualcomm in 2021. The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms are serving as a central hub for high-performance compute, computer vision, artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-sensor processing with a flexible software configuration to address the compute, performance and functional safety needs for that zone or domain, and supporting the cockpits evolving to a zonal electronic/electrical (E/E) compute architecture. Fully scalable, the 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms support three tiers, ranging from Performance, Premiere to Paramount, for the entry level, mid-tier and super computing platforms, respectively. Utilizing 5nm processing technology, the 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms feature enhanced graphics, multimedia, computer vision and AI capabilities designed to provide an optimized, contextually aware and constantly adaptive cockpit system that can evolve to its passengers’ preferences. The new platforms utilize the 6th generation Qualcomm Kryo Central Processing Unit (CPU), Qualcomm Hexagon Processor, multi-core Qualcomm AI Engine, 6th generation Qualcomm Adreno Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and Qualcomm Spectra Image Signal Processor (ISP), to provide a true platform on chip. With its enhanced capabilities, the 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms are now one of the most comprehensive solutions in the automotive industry, designed to provide superior in-vehicle user experiences, as well as safety, comfort and reliability, raising the bar for digital cockpit solutions in the automotive industry. The JiDU ROBO-01, which is the first model of JiDU, has adopted the 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platform and the production version will be officially launched in 2023.

Unique advantages

High Performance Compute: with the 6th generation Qualcomm Kryo CPU is designed to provide the power and performance needed to address the compute needs of next generation automotive digital cockpits and the support for multiple virtual machines to provide the isolation needed for domain consolidation.  Rich Graphics and Multimedia Support for Immersive In-Vehicle Experiences: The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms optimize the latest generation of the Adreno GPU for high performance, low power graphics, video and display processing units, and can render multiple high-resolution displays, providing vehicle occupants with superior 3D graphic visualization to enjoy premium entertainment content across different displays. The platforms also feature enhanced pixel processing pipeline to support multiple high-definition camera inputs, which are then stitched and processed to provide either an in-car or around the car visualization. Additionally, they are designed to support up to 16 camera inputs through serial interfaces and additional cameras through ethernet interfaces. The performance and safety enhancements to the visual and multimedia processing units are designed to provide the cockpit of the future with a comprehensive media experience that is safety-conscious and comfortable for the occupants. Highly Intuitive AI Experiences: utilizes the cutting-edge AI Engine for driver and passenger personalization, in-car virtual assistance, natural voice control, language understanding, driver monitoring and occupant presence detection and adaptive human machine interfaces. The AI engine provides a system capable of constant learning and adapting to the occupant’s preferences, limited not only to media or infotainment content but also to vehicle controls such as seat and mirror positioning, HVAC and per seat personalized climate bubbles, audio content and volume preferences and providing the driver with an interface that is attuned to his/her preferences and the vehicle ambience.  Contextual Awareness and Safety enhancements: for intelligent and distraction free driver assistance systems, including in-cabin monitoring, child and occupant detection and ultra-HD surround view monitoring with Object Detection for roadside safety. Using the AI Engine and ISP blocks, the platforms are designed to also allow for in-cabin and external camera integration, providing the infrastructure to ensure the safety and comfort of the occupants. The safety infrastructure extends across the key compute blocks and is augmented by an integrated safety manager to provide the higher automotive safety integrity levels (ASIL) needed for domain consolidation.  Immersive Audio: designed to provide premium audio experiences, including personalized multi-audio zones customized for each user, crystal clear in-car communication and active noise and echo cancellation with engine and road-noise noise suppression capabilities delivered by a powerful audio subsystem integrated in the 4th generation platforms. Connectivity Support: pre-integrated support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, offering premium wireless in-car experiences including hotspot, high speed gaming, and phone mirroring technologies such as wireless Android Auto.  Telematics and C-V2X Support: pre-integrated support for Snapdragon Automotive 5G Platforms with integrated C-V2X technology, providing for the high bandwidth pipeline needed for seamless media streaming, OTA updates, and multi-gigabit upload and download capabilities.  Software Support: a scalable software framework with multiple Board Support Package (BSP) configurations, including High-level Operating Systems (HLOS) and Application Frameworks & Distributions, Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS), Hypervisors and Linux Containers (LXC and other container technologies).

Application

The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms address the compute, performance and functional safety needs for that certain zone or domain in intelligent vehicles with powerful performance and flexible software configuration, providing high-performance compute, rich graphics and multimedia, highly intuitive AI experiences, contextual awareness and safety enhancements, and immersive audio. The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms are designed to meet the occupants’ different preferences and to provide superior in-vehicle user experience, as well as safety, comfort and reliability. With on-demand media consumption and over the air application content expanding, next generation vehicles are featuring several high-resolution displays for media, navigation and high-definition clusters, while still requiring several lower resolution displays, such as pillar or mirror displays with associated safety requirements. The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms with high performance, low power graphics, video and display processing units, and can render multiple high-resolution displays, providing vehicle occupants with superior graphic visualization to enjoy premium entertainment content across different displays. Passengers can now enjoy a shared content experience with other occupants or enjoy the privacy of their own high resolution display and media consumption. The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms supports the fusion of multiple electronic control units (ECUs) and domains, including cluster and cockpit, AR-HUD, infotainment, rear-seat displays, e-mirrors and in-cabin monitoring. Also, the platform was designed from the ground up to support the integration of multiple distributed computing components in the vehicle, aligning with the central-compute electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture and is designed to further support intelligent connected vehicles to evolve toward the central-compute architecture.

Prospect

With the 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms, Qualcomm strives to deliver the industry’s most advanced digital cabin solutions and aim to reinvent the driver, passenger and rear seat entertainment and contextual awareness experience, while also addressing the automakers’ shift to zonal compute architectures with the fusion of compute, performance, AI and safety. Qualcomm intends to continue empowering automakers to scale these powerful automotive cockpits across a diversity of vehicle segments and help automakers democratize access to advanced infotainment technology that makes each driving or riding experience safer, more comfortable and more personal. JiDU has already announced adoption of the 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platform in its ROBO-01. Meanwhile, Qualcomm’s partners including PATEO CONNECT+, ArcherMind Technology, Neusoft, Unity China, ThunderSoft, Autolink, SenseAuto, Arkamys, Baidu Apollo, Aptiv, ArcSoft, Bosch, HSAE, Valeo and more have showcased solutions and demos based on the 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms at the 2023 Qualcomm China Automotive Summit. The 4th Generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms provide superior in-vehicle user experiences, as well as safety, comfort and reliability, raising the bar for digital cockpit solutions in the automotive industry. Qualcomm’s integrated automotive platforms continue to drive leadership and business growth in telematics, infotainment and in-vehicle connectivity. All major global automakers have selected the Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms.