Qualcomm to become primary semiconductor supplier for VW's electric cars
From 2027, Qualcomm is to become the primary semiconductor supplier for almost all of Volkswagen Group's electric cars based on the Rivian platform.
Expected in 2027: The VW ID.Every1 is set to be the first electric vehicle based on the new architecture.
(Image: VW)
Volkswagen and Qualcomm are deepening their partnership. Qualcomm is to play a relevant role in the "introduction of advanced infotainment and connectivity functions" based on Snapdragon Digital Chassis technology. The US semiconductor manufacturer is set to deliver "high-performance System-on-a-Chip (SoCs) for infotainment functions" from 2027 onwards, thus becoming "an important technology provider for the launch of the Volkswagen Group's zonal SDV architecture." A corresponding letter of intent was signed by both companies at CES 2026.
ID.Every1 first vehicle with new architecture
Zonal SDV architecture stands for "Software-Defined Vehicle," meaning highly connected vehicles. Volkswagen intends to develop this in cooperation with US startup Rivian in the joint venture "RV Tech." The technology is based on Rivian's electronics architecture. Volkswagen announced the partnership with Rivian in June 2024 and stated that the technology is to be gradually integrated into all upcoming electric cars based on the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) from 2027 onwards. The goal is to "offer technologically leading products in different segments, price ranges, and international markets," explains VW.
The first Volkswagen with the new SDV architecture will be the production model of the ID.Every1, which is expected to launch around 2027 and could be called ID.1 or ID.Up. In naming its upcoming electric car models, starting with the ID.Polo, VW is apparently returning to its familiar model names instead of numbering them from ID.3 to ID.7 as before.
According to VW, vehicles based on the SDV architecture will receive, among other things, "modern infotainment solutions and highly automated driving functions that can be updated and expanded via over-the-air updates." This way, vehicles can always be kept up to date – the group also speaks of a continuously improving driving experience. "High-performance, modular central computers" are to be used to control all vehicle functions.
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AI functions and automated driving
VW further states that future vehicles with the Snapdragon Cockpit Platform will also feature AI-powered functions. These are intended to "anticipate the needs of the occupants and provide active support in real-time." The group cites personalized climate and seat comfort settings, optimized route planning, and intuitive voice and gesture control as examples.
At the same time, the Automated Driving Alliance (ADA), an initiative by Cariad and Bosch, intends to use the Snapdragon Ride Elite Platform. With this, they aim to drive forward the development of automated driving. ADA's goal is an AI-based overall system for highly automated driving that is scalable across brands and models and fully compatible with the SDV architecture, according to Volkswagen. This means VW's software brand Cariad also plays a certain role in the development of future SDVs.
The intended supply cooperation is being actively driven by Audi and the VW Passenger Cars brand. However, the goal is "group-wide impact." As part of the letter of intent, the group brands also intend to integrate Qualcomm's Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF and V2X technology into their upcoming SDV-based vehicles for connectivity and real-time communication.
Android Automotive as the software base
The software base for the infotainment system, on which both VW/Cariad and Rivian rely, is Google's Android Automotive (AAOS – Android Automotive OS). Both are not relying on the complete Google package, but on the open-source Android (AOSP) without Google services, but with their own app stores and services.
At CES 2026, Qualcomm and Google also addressed the topic of Android Automotive, including updates. According to the announcement, Android Automotive will be aligned with Android's release cycle, and the development of the infotainment platform will be accelerated through further steps. Among other things, Google is bringing Project Treble to AAOS, which has been part of the operating system since 2017 and Android 8.0 Oreo, and is intended to simplify updates.
Automotive manufacturers would benefit from "significantly simplified Android updates, optimized integration, lower development costs, and faster time-to-market," argues Qualcomm. Furthermore, Qualcomm and Google promise important software updates for a period of ten years. Will that be enough for a car's lifetime?
(afl)
