Red Hat and Qualcomm Set Course For Software-Defined Vehicle Innovation

Red Hat, Inc., the world's leading provider of open source solutions, today announced a technology collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. to demonstrate and deliver a pre-integrated platform that will run on Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System for virtual testing and deployment in software-defined vehicles (SDVs). With this work, the companies will showcase how the automotive industry can accelerate SDVs with complete end-to-end development and deployment of microservices-based advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) applications. Powered by Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride™ Flex System-on-Chip (SoC) and Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System, this platform aims to offer automakers the ability to develop features in the cloud and push those container-native workloads and applications to a test facility or vehicle.

Open source is a forceful catalyst in transforming the automotive industry and automakers are increasingly turning to SDVs and cloud technologies to revolutionize their approach to testing and innovation. With cloud-native workloads, automakers can harness the power of scalable, on-demand computing resources to conduct comprehensive testing of artificial intelligence (AI) models and software updates. By pushing vehicle updates over-the-air (OTA), automakers can better keep vehicles on pace with technology innovation, delivering new features, improved functionality and enhanced safety to customers in a more seamless manner. This approach not only streamlines the development process but also enables automakers to adapt more quickly to evolving consumer demands, driving continuous improvement and innovation in the automotive industry.

This work between Red Hat and Qualcomm Technologies serves as another critical step in moving closer to the successful realization of SDVs. With this work, automakers will be able to better prototype software fixes, new features and revenue-generating services in the cloud before deployment to the car. They will then have the ability to deploy software updates to a factory test lab or directly to the vehicle in-service, benefitting from drastically improving system testing, improved costs and faster time-to-market. 

For example, automakers will be able to use Qualcomm Technologies’ AI technologies and the Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC to accelerate the development and deployment of software fixes, new features and revenue-generating services for SDVs. With in-cloud emulation configurations, automakers can prototype and validate AI object detection models. These models can then be tested and refined in the cloud environment, confirming their accuracy and effectiveness before deployment to the vehicle. All of this is achievable via the open standards-based platform of Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System, enabling customers to receive automotive updates in the same way they upgrade applications or software on mobile devices.

Red Hat has been working across the automotive industry with companies like Deloitte, ETAS, General Motors and more to help deliver open source solutions for SDVs. To learn more about this latest work with Qualcomm Technologies, please visit our edge booth in Red Hat Central at Red Hat Summit to see a demo of this in action. 

Red Hat Summit

Join the Red Hat Summit keynotes to hear the latest from Red Hat executives, customers and partners:

• The cloud is hybrid. So is AI. — Tuesday, May 7, 8-10 a.m. MDT (YouTube)
• Optimizing IT for the AI era. — Wednesday, May 8, 8:30-9:30 a.m. MDT (YouTube)

Supporting Quotes

Francis Chow, vice president and general manager, In-Vehicle Operating System and Edge, Red Hat

“By collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies, we’re empowering automakers to redefine vehicle capabilities through open source and software-defined solutions. With this new approach, we can work together to accelerate the industry’s journey towards more intelligent, connected vehicles, driving innovation and agility while delivering unparalleled experiences to drivers worldwide.”

Bill Pinnell, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

“With the adoption of open source, SDVs and cloud technologies, the automotive industry can drive continuous improvements, adapt to changing customer demands and deliver innovative solutions that can enhance the driving experience. We remain committed to supporting automakers on this transformative journey and our work with Red Hat is a testament to our shared vision of a future where SDVs redefine mobility.