GM has announced that its next-generation hands-free driver-assist system, Ultra Cruise, will be powered by a scalable compute architecture featuring system-on-chips developed by American semiconductor company Qualcomm Technologies.
A press release from the automaker said the company will be the first one to use the Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride platform for advanced driver assistance technology, which features 5-nanometer Snapdragon SA8540P SoC and SA9000P artificial intelligence accelerator.
Ultra Cruise’s compute, which is about the size of two laptops stacked together, will be available in 2023 on vehicles, including the fully-electric luxury Cadillac CELESTIQ.
With high-performance sensor interfaces and memory bandwidth, it will, in combination with GM’s homegrown Ultra Cruise software stack, be vital in helping Ultra Cruise achieve an unmatched combination of capability, reliability, predictability and robust door-to-door hands-free driving in 95 percent of all driving scenarios.
Ken Morris, Vice President - Electric, Autonomous and Fuel Cell Vehicle Programs, GM, said, “Despite its relatively small size, Ultra Cruise’s compute will have the processing capability of several hundred personal computers. It will take qualities that have distinguished GM’s advanced driver assist systems since 2017 to the next level with door-to-door hands-free driving.”
Nakul Duggal, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm Technologies, said, “Ultra Cruise powered by Snapdragon Ride-on Cadillac vehicles will be an experiential and technological leap forward for the industry.”
Along with Snapdragon Ride SoCs, which are designed to meet automotive system safety standards with multiple redundancies built-in, the compute includes an Infineon Aurix TC397 processor for system safety integrity. The Aurix TC397 is categorized ASIL-D – the highest Automotive Safety Integrity Level.