Qualcomm claims that its Flex SoC stands out for its ability to support mixed-criticality workloads, allowing the digital cockpit, ADAS, and automated driving capabilities to coexist on a single chip. The company also asserts that the Bosch-powered systems are based on a scalable architecture from entry-level to premium tiers. At CES, the companies also showcased a central vehicle computer that gave a glimpse of what this system could achieve.
Aside from supporting a range of features, including infotainment, vehicle lifecycle management, and digital cluster functionalities, this newly developed central vehicle computer could also process ADAS features like object/traffic light/lane assist/ lane detection, automated parking, navigation, voice assistance, and processing for camera radar and ultrasonic data.
Senior executives at Bosch have hailed this new tech as a cost-effective solution for automakers to incorporate ADAS systems into their vehicles. The lower cost of deployment will eventually have a trickle-down effect, making cars with these technologies less expensive to make and, thereby, cheaper for the consumer. This affordability could also mean that more entry-level to mid-range vehicles will be able to incorporate ADAS functions without companies having to worry about cost escalations.
While this development on the automotive front does look promising, neither of these companies has indicated how long it would take for cars based on this technology to make it to us, the end consumers.
