A step closer to self-driving cars: Qualcomm starts testing chipset tech in California

Joining the race towards building self-driving cars, global chip manufacturer Qualcomm has begun testing its self-driving chipset technology in California.

According to a CNBC report, California's Department of Motor Vehicles has issued the permit to Qualcomm for testing its technology.

The chip maker has now started testing vehicles equipped with its technology in San Diego County, the report added.

Nvidia and Samsung previously received permits to test self-driving cars in California.

"We certainly expect to be a key player in the autonomous space," Nakul Duggal, Vice President of Product Management for Automotive at Qualcomm, was quoted as saying.

Qualcomm in September announced "9150 C-V2X" chipset that lets cars communicate with other cars, as well as with infrastructure like traffic lights.

The C-V2X technology encompass two transmission modes of direct communications and network-based communications, which are designed to serve as key features for safety conscious and autonomous driving solutions.

It also complements other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensors, such as cameras, radar and LIDAR, to provide information about the vehicle's surroundings, including non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios.

"The introduction of the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset builds on our leadership in automotive technologies, demonstrating our continued commitment to design and offer advanced solutions for safe, connected and increasingly autonomous vehicles," Duggal had said earlier.

"Qualcomm also plans to send test vehicles to Michigan, China, Germany, Italy and Japan to be able to gather data on the chipset's performance in various locations and conditions," the report added.

Apart from Qualcomm, Google’s parent Alphabet and Uber have also been testing their self-driving technology. Its elf driving unit Waymo began testing ride-hailing service without a human in Arizona in November.

Uber too announced in September that its self-driving cars travelled one million autonomous rides with a fleet of over 200 cars and is doing about 84,000 miles a week on the street.