TL;DR:
- BMW selects AWS as its primary cloud provider for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
- BMW’s “Neue Klasse” vehicles, launching in 2025, will integrate AWS’s cloud-based infrastructure.
- The collaboration includes Qualcomm Technologies for next-gen automated driving systems.
- BMW engineers gain access to cutting-edge hardware, vision software, and cloud capabilities.
- AWS will aid BMW in handling increased data volume for advanced driving feature development.
- BMW’s scalable automated driving platform benefits from AWS’s standardized reference architecture.
- The partnership enables efficient data processing, cataloging, and storage, as well as model development and testing.
Main AI News:
In a groundbreaking move, the BMW Group has officially designated Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its primary cloud provider for the cutting-edge automated driving platform. Set to revolutionize the automotive industry, the BMW Group’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for their forthcoming “Neue Klasse” series, scheduled for a 2025 debut, will harness the power of AWS’s cloud-based infrastructure. Leveraging BMW’s existing Cloud Data Hub on AWS, this state-of-the-art system will integrate AWS’s compute capabilities, generative artificial intelligence (generative AI), Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and storage solutions to expedite the rollout of highly automated BMW vehicles.
Dr. Nicolai Martin, Senior Vice President of Driving Experience at BMW Group, emphasized the profound impact of evolving consumer expectations on the automotive landscape: “In the next decade, consumer habits and expectations will drive more changes in the automotive industry than we’ve seen over the past 30 years. This is just the beginning of a new era of highly automated driving, fueled by innovations in technology and engineering. By collaborating with AWS, the BMW Group, along with our partner, Qualcomm Technologies, is building our new automated driving platform on AWS’s scalable, secure, and reliable infrastructure. We’re tapping into AWS’s ability to help empower the next generation of BMW’s automated driving and parking functions.“
Today’s ADAS systems play a pivotal role in enhancing driver safety and comfort through early warning systems and performance-improving features such as automated braking and steering. By developing the next-gen ADAS platform on AWS, BMW engineers can respond more swiftly to customer demands and introduce novel features, all while maintaining driving safety. This newfound efficiency, powered by the cloud, positions BMW to continually innovate features for its Neue Klasse vehicles, ensuring drivers remain focused on their road experience.
BMW’s strategic partnership extends beyond AWS to include Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., as co-developers of next-gen automated driving systems, founded on the open and modular Snapdragon Ride Platform. These systems incorporate an integrated Ride Vision software stack, providing 360-degree perception for vehicles. Combined with AWS and Qualcomm Technologies, BMW engineers gain access to cutting-edge hardware, vision software, and cloud capabilities, culminating in a comprehensive automated driving development platform. By housing BMW’s automated driving platform in the cloud, development silos within BMW’s software teams are dismantled, facilitating global collaboration with suppliers to expedite automated driving innovation.
Nakul Duggal, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Automotive and Cloud Computing at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., commented on the partnership: “As the automotive industry evolves toward a new high-performance, low-power, and highly scalable software-defined vehicle architecture, we are proud to continue our long-standing, strategic cooperation with the BMW Group to co-develop safer and more secure AI-powered driver assistance technologies at scale. The Qualcomm® Cloud AI 100 solution and Snapdragon Ride Platforms help deliver automotive innovation to the BMW Group and leading brands across the globe. This strategic relationship with AWS and BMW brings together leading-edge technologies from our respective industries to deliver a modern cloud-native software development environment.“
Additionally, BMW will harness AWS’s capabilities to expand its capacity to manage the exponential growth in data generated during automated driving feature development. As automakers introduce advanced automated driving functions like adaptive cruise control, parking assist, and piloted driving, the volume of data for analysis and future feature development skyrockets. The cloud-based infrastructure provided by AWS serves as the bedrock for BMW to conceive and introduce new functions such as lane departure assist, automated lane change, or hands-free driving functions, all at an accelerated pace.
AWS services will be instrumental in powering this scalable automated driving platform, offering a standardized reference architecture that streamlines development across BMW models. The platform allows for the efficient processing, cataloging, and storage of vast quantities of real-time driving data in Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3). Engineers and data scientists can then use Amazon SageMaker, AWS’s machine learning model development and deployment service, to search, identify, and visualize relevant driving scenes and build and train models. Large-scale simulations can also be developed using AWS compute instances for verification purposes. This approach empowers BMW to test and validate new software iterations more effectively, ensuring system safety and expediting time to market.
Wendy Bauer, General Manager of Automotive and Manufacturing at AWS, emphasized the life-saving potential of automated driving systems: “Automated driving is about more than just convenience; it’s also aimed at providing driver assistance technology that helps prevent injuries and saves lives. Implementing these systems on the BMW Group’s international scale requires an approach that can process and analyze vast amounts of data, as well as learn and innovate, so automakers can develop safer and more reliable automated and ADAS systems. Working with AWS and Qualcomm Technologies, the BMW Group has the tools required to help make its vision of providing safe, premium quality, high performance, and highly automated driving functions to its customers a reality.”
Conclusion:
BMW’s strategic alliance with AWS and Qualcomm Technologies signifies a pivotal step in the automotive industry’s evolution towards highly automated driving. This collaboration positions BMW to swiftly adapt to changing consumer expectations and accelerate the development of innovative features, reinforcing its competitive edge in the market. Furthermore, the partnership reflects a broader industry trend towards cloud-based solutions and enhanced driver assistance technologies, setting the stage for the future of automotive innovation.
