The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding for a long-term supply cooperation, Volkswagen announced on Thursday. The plan is to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips in electric vehicles slated for release starting in 2027. These chips are primarily intended for use in infotainment systems.
Volkswagen has also partnered with US electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, securing access to Rivian's software. The first cars equipped with this software are expected to hit the market in 2027. These are so-called software-defined vehicles, which are controlled by central computers and therefore rely on high-performance chips. The first Volkswagen model to feature Rivian's software will be the electric compact car ID.Every1, which is scheduled for launch in 2027. Winter testing for the software is currently underway.
Qualcomm offers a range of powerful semiconductors and processors under the Snapdragon brand, which can be used for AI applications or voice recognition, among other things. Mercedes-Benz and BMW are also among the US company's customers. Volkswagen has already been cooperating with Qualcomm for several years in the field of autonomous driving.
(Reporting by Christina Amann, edited by Philipp Krach. For inquiries, please contact our editorial team at Berlin.Newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for politics and economy) or Frankfurt.Newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for companies and markets)
