Infineon Technologies and Qualcomm Technologies have signed a technology agreement to accelerate development and deployment of central car computers in software-defined vehicles (SDVs). Under the deal, Infineon will provide a microcontroller-based design pattern — described as a "subsystem" — for Qualcomm's Snapdragon Ride reference platforms for high-performance computing and in-vehicle artificial intelligence. The subsystem is complementary and designed to operate alongside the Snapdragon Ride and Ride Flex platforms.
Key takeaways
- Safety layer: The subsystem monitors system health, coordinates safety mechanisms and enables predictable, real-time control of safety-critical functions, pairing Snapdragon Ride compute and AI with reliable vehicle behavior.
- Hardware basis: Built around an Infineon AURIX microcontroller, with Optireg ICs for power management.
- Software package: Pre-integrates firmware with safety and monitoring software tailored to Qualcomm's platforms, and simplifies integration into vehicle networks such as Ethernet and CAN for secured data exchange.
- Ecosystem additions: Brightlane Automotive Ethernet and USB connectivity, plus Semper NOR Flash qualified specifically for Snapdragon Ride platforms.
- Target applications: A streamlined path to car computers combining driver assistance and automated driving with cockpit solutions.
Peter Schiefer, president of Infineon's automotive division, framed the work as a centralized-computing approach: a powerful SoC surrounded by specialized components — safety microcontroller, power management, connectivity and memory — that must work together for safe operation. The companies say the pre-integrated software lets carmakers and Tier-1 suppliers develop and scale systems faster. Infineon will showcase its centralized-architecture semiconductor solutions at electronica in Munich (10–13 November).
Source: Robotics & Automation News · Published 2026-11-03T09:00:09 · “Infineon and Qualcomm team up on car computers for automated driving”