Qualcomm is steering Snapdragon into the automotive industry with bold ambitions, positioning the platform as a key driver of innovation in vehicles. Don McGuire, Senior VP & CMO of Qualcomm, spoke to CNBC-TV18 and highlighted the company’s vision to transform cars into “digital living spaces” and its growing focus on the Indian market.
“Software is now defining how your car interacts with you and the world around it, and Snapdragon has a huge opportunity there,” McGuire said. Qualcomm recently made significant strides in the automotive sector by partnering with Royal Enfield for its first EV motorcycle, the Flying Flea, and Tata Motors for its first electric SUV, the CURVV.
These partnerships underscore Snapdragon’s role in redefining the driving experience. McGuire emphasised India’s importance in Qualcomm’s strategy, pointing out that the country is not just a burgeoning market for four-wheelers but also a critical hub for two-wheelers.
“Innovation in the two-wheel space, like what Ultraviolette is doing, excites us,” he said. “Making our platform applicable to digitally transform the two-wheel market is a big opportunity.”
As India embraces premiumisation in vehicles, Qualcomm sees a natural alignment with Snapdragon’s core ethos of delivering premium experiences. “Snapdragon has always stood for premium,” McGuire noted, adding that Qualcomm is deeply invested in India’s growth through Make in India initiatives and its second-largest global employee base.
With its partnerships and focus on automotive digital transformation, Qualcomm is betting big on India as a frontier for Snapdragon’s next wave of innovation.
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