General Motors Selects Qualcomm Snapdragon Ride Chips for Ultra Cruise System
General Motors chooses a trio of Qualcomm processors to power its upcoming Ultra Cruise automated driving system. The technology aims to handle 95% of driving scenarios on all paved roads starting in 2023.
General Motors announces that it uses a cluster of three Qualcomm chips to power its new Ultra Cruise automated driving system. Unveiled at CES 2022, this technology debuts in vehicles starting in 2023 and represents a major step beyond GM's existing Super Cruise driver assistance system.
The Ultra Cruise system handles 95% of all driving scenarios and eventually operates on every paved road and highway in the United States and Canada. Unlike Super Cruise, which launches in 2017 and restricts drivers to U.S. highways, the new platform offers significantly broader geographic and situational capabilities. GM plans to introduce Ultra Cruise in several upcoming models, including the all-electric Cadillac Celestiq sedan.
This landmark deal marks the first time an automaker adopts Qualcomm's "Snapdragon Ride" platform for self-driving computations. The partnership highlights Qualcomm's ongoing push to expand beyond mobile phone modems and capture market share in the automotive sector, placing it in direct competition with industry rivals like Intel's Mobileye and NXP.