The new BMW iX3 gets L2+ autonomous driving powered by Qualcomm

The fresh design and electric powertrain of the all-new BMW iX3 are big news, but a really important story is tucked away under the sheet metal. The new iX3 is the debut vehicle for a brand-new automated driving system born from a three-year collaboration between BMW and the chip-making giant Qualcomm. Both companies claim that this new tech could fundamentally shift how we interact with our cars.

This new system is called the Snapdragon Ride Pilot, but it doesn't offer full self-driving, where you can take a nap in the back seat. Instead, it's an extremely advanced driver-assistance system designed to act as a highly competent co-pilot.

Built on Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon Ride systems-on-chips (SoCs), the platform uses a sophisticated software stack jointly developed by the two companies. Its capabilities are scalable, meaning it can manage basic safety functions required for top crash-test ratings, but it can also scale up to handle Level 2+ automated driving - that's hands-free highway cruising and navigating complex urban environments, provided the driver remains alert and ready to take over.

BMW is calling the central computer running the show the "Superbrain of Automated Driving." The unit, powered by those Snapdragon SoCs, provides 20 times the computing power of the system it replaces. To process the world around it, the iX3 employs an array of high-definition cameras, with resolutions of 8 and 3 megapixels, alongside radar sensors.

This hardware provides a seamless 360-degree view of the vehicle's surroundings. The system cross-references this live data with high-definition maps and precise GNSS satellite positioning to build an incredibly accurate picture of its location and the traffic situation.

All this high-tech hardware translates into tangible features for the driver that feel more intuitive than previous systems. For example, the car can perform a "contextual lane change." A simple glance in a mirror or a slight nudge of the steering wheel can signal the driver's intent, prompting the system to execute a safe lane change.

For long journeys, an active highway assistant allows for hands-free driving on approved road networks. Parking is also simplified with an AI-powered system that can detect open slots and assist with maneuvering. And of course, a camera-based in-cabin monitoring system ensures the driver remains attentive.

What makes this system forward-thinking is its ability to evolve. The software is designed to be a learning system, constantly improving through a "cloud-based data flywheel." Anonymous data from the global fleet of cars is used to refine the AI models, and improvements are sent back to the vehicles through over-the-air (OTA) updates.

This means the car's driving assistance features can get better over the vehicle's lifespan. Safety is the foundation of the entire platform. It was engineered to meet the highest Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL), and it comes with cybersecurity measures to protect the car's complex electronic systems from potential threats.

While the BMW iX3 is the first vehicle to use this technology, the collaboration with Qualcomm has broader implications for the entire automotive industry. Qualcomm is now offering the complete Snapdragon Ride Pilot platform to all global automakers and their suppliers, which should accelerate the adoption of more advanced driver-assistance systems across a wide range of electric cars and other vehicles.

The system has already been validated for use in 60 countries, and that number is expected to grow to over 100 by 2026. On a side note: the iX3 is also equipped with a V2X chipset, enabling vehicle-to-everything communication that could one day allow cars to "see" around corners by talking to other vehicles and smart infrastructure.

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