Qualcomm is poised to take over EVs before Apple gets a chance

Perhaps significant, Qualcomm also says that its digital architecture allows automakers to “own the in-car experience… [and] Expand their brand reach and bring engaging consumer interactions into the car.” This will be especially welcomed by manufacturers after the announcement in June last year of Apple’s next-generation multi-screen version carplay, which likely won’t be as close to synergistic as Qualcomm’s offering. In fact, when CarPlay 2 was announced, WIRED reached out to a number of major automakers for comment on the Cupertino system, only to find that it seemed as though the companies had no idea about the news, and the potential impact its dominance would have on their companies. Vehicle user interfaces, were coming.

The digital chassis system is designed to work in all regions and in all types of vehicles, and Qualcomm says it hopes the chassis will “inspire new business models for automakers” that go beyond simply selling and servicing a vehicle.

If you thought paying to heat the seats was a bad thing…

Apart from in-car games, these new business models will also include requiring drivers to pay to unlock features already installed in their car. BMW has caused controversy When he suggested that the heated seats already installed in a car required a subscription to function. Mercedes wants to ask the drivers soon to pay 1200 dollars To unlock more performance, hidden behind a paywall written into their EV code. latest model of Polestar 2 It can be made even more powerful by purchasing the Performance Pack, which arrives via software update, without the need for wrenches.

In addition to software and connectivity, technology companies can help automakers — especially start-ups — when it comes to mass production. Such collaborations can be found with Fisker and Foxconn. The former is a California EV startup headed by former Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker, and the latter is a Taiwanese company best known for assembling iPhones. The two plan to develop a nearly $30,000 coding set to begin production at a facility in Ohio in 2024.

Fisher He said In 2021, Foxconn will help with product development, sourcing, and manufacturing, and that the partnership will enable his company to offer products “at a price point that truly opens up electric mobility to the mass market.”

Not wanting to put all its eggs in one basket, Foxconn is also involved in a joint venture with the Chinese auto giant jelly, the mother of Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus among others. similarly, Pegatronanother Taiwanese company charged with assembling iPhones, is now also a manufacturing partner of Tesla.

Finding a technology partner soon could be of paramount importance to car brands that haven’t fully embraced advanced infotainment, driver assistance and connectivity systems. It’s “very likely” that automakers who go it alone with their technology are in danger of being left behind, Lei Zhou, a partner at Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting, told WIRED.

Zhou added, “If OEMs develop technologies connected to their existing capabilities, they may find themselves being left behind by emerging EV makers with IT backgrounds or OEMs who have partnered with strong technology partners… Significant value can be generated through collaboration.” With a variety of players, including the areas of technology and business.”

And what does Apple do?

The reverse is also true, with tech companies keen to develop their first car seeking help from automakers with manufacturing expertise.

“Tesla, Rivian, Dyson, Lucid and others have done really well with the process of designing a car,” Tyson Jomini, vice president of automotive consulting at JD Power, told WIRED. “But when you get down to the brass tacks of building a car, it’s very hard. When there’s a lot of startup companies are having problemsthat it [because] Mass production of cars on a large scale is difficult. So the partnership makes sense.”