The concept car shows off Qualcomm’s automotive technology. The car was on display at the Qualcomb booth at the IAA Mobility Show held in Munich on September 9, 2025.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
Qualcomm’s autonomous driving technology was developed together BMW The CEO of the US chip giant told CNBC that it is expected to attract great interest from other automakers who are passionate about licensing the system.
The comments highlight that Qualcomm, a leading smartphone chip player, is diversifying its business into new areas.
Last week, Qualcomm and German automotive giant BMW announced an automated driving system built on the former semiconductor.
It is called the Snapdragon Ride Pilot Automated Driving System and is a type of driver assist function. Even certain road and lane changes allow hands-free driving, but the car never becomes completely unmanned.
The system will debut with the new BMW IX3, and the company says it will be available in 100 countries by 2026.
However, although the system is being developed at BMW, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told CNBC in an interview Tuesday that the technology is designed to be licensed to other car manufacturers.
“People wanted to see how it works on the streets, so they waited for this moment, including ourselves,” Amon said, adding that the BMW IX3 will be launched in automated driving technology in 60 countries. This could demonstrate the system, he said.
“When I see how OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are compared and competitive, I think I expect it to happen, as if it ignites the domino effect,” Amon said.
Qualcomm CEO said the company has “made a lot of progress” in discussions with other automakers, but it is “not ready to announce” the partnership yet.
Qualcomm makes big bets on cars
Qualcomm’s biggest revenue driver is the chips that power smartphones of players, including Samsung and Xiaomi.
However, Amon is considering diversifying the company into new areas, including PC chips, data center semiconductors and automobiles.
He has great hopes for the automotive business, bringing about $1 billion in the June quarter, up 21% year-on-year. The company previously said it expects its auto revenue to grow to $8 billion by fiscal year 2029.
To achieve that, Qualcomm designs technology for different parts of the car. For example, the chips can power entertainment systems in cars, and on Monday the company announced a partnership with Google Cloud that will allow carmakers to create their own digital assistants.
“(Qualcomm) is building an entire software-led ecosystem,” Murtuza Ali, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC. “The main thing is that they are fully integrated solution providers for autonomy, and that’s what they were missing.”
In particular, traditional European automobile companies are believed to be lagging behind in technology such as autonomous driving compared to their rivals from China.
