The Stellantis Group recently signed a multi-year deal to use technology from Qualcomm in its vehicle lineup, the company said.
Fourteen brands under the Stellantis group, including Peugeot, Fiat and Jeep, will use Qualcomm’s vehicle cockpit and 5G technology starting in 2024. Maserati will be the first to use Qualcomm’s technology. Stellantis itself did not disclose the value of the Qualcomm deal.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a statement that the collaboration helps Stellantis more closely manage the complete electronics supply chain.
Qualcomm’s side through Nakul Duggal said that more automakers are working directly with chipmakers without using suppliers as intermediaries.
“If you go back even a few years, it’s very unusual for (car makers) to make decisions like this. It’s now becoming much more common,” Duggal said.
Previously, Qualcomm made the acquisition of self-driving technology software company Arriver. Qualcomm considers the acquisition a so-called “digital chassis,” the ability to offer a full set of driver assistance and self-driving capabilities in addition to the cockpit and telematics technology.
But Qualcomm’s deal with Stellantis this time around doesn’t include those newer offerings.
Qualcomm says that since it first launched its driver assistance and self-driving system called Snapdragon Ride in 2020, its auto business deals channel has grown to $13 billion last year from $3 billion in 2017.
In a statement, the two companies said the in-car communication and infotainment system for Stellantis was being jointly designed and engineered with tech giant Amazon.com and Taiwanese manufacturing company Foxconn.
