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Cubic Telecom and Qualcomm reveal vision for the next generation of in-car services.
As the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicks off in Las Vegas this week, Irish tech firm Cubic Telecom has revealed it is working with Qualcomm to develop new capabilities for the cars of tomorrow.
Cubic Telecom, which counts both Audi and Qualcomm as investors, said that it is working on exploiting the application processing and wireless capabilities of Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive modems.
‘Cars are now platforms for innovation, new business models and services, and connectivity is the foundation’
– NAKUL DUGGAL
“Joining forces with the leading semiconductor company in telematics means that our new Cubic Telecom solution can become widely available to automotive customers in the near future,” said Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom.
The system, unveiled at CES 2018, includes a new connectivity management solution to aid vehicle management and system providers to future-proof their technologies over the lifetime of the vehicle.
The solution involves over-the-air feature updates and applications; network and vehicle analytics; and the ability to help drive connected vehicle services worldwide, using a single architecture that works across different wireless networks.
The connectivity management solution on show at CES 2018 has been optimised and showcased using a Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 Gigabit LTE modem.
“Cars are now platforms for innovation, new business models and services, and connectivity is the foundation,” said Nakul Duggal, vice-president of product management at Qualcomm.
“Cubic Telecom’s unique connectivity management solution complements our automotive platform to empower automakers with the ability to provide connected car services on a global scale, and the flexibility to work with multiple network operators per region.”
Revving up for the roads of tomorrow
Last August, Cubic Telecom closed a €40m Series C investment round, bringing its total investment up to €75m. The round was supported by existing investors Qualcomm and Audi Electronic Ventures, as well as new participants Valid Soluciones Tecnológicas and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.
As part of the new investment, Cubic Telecom said that the hiring of 60 new roles, announced in October of last year, will be accelerated, with expectations that they will be filled over the next 12 months.
It also said that it will help extend the global footprint of its internet of things (IoT) platform, where its existing tier-one network is currently partnered with more than 30 mobile operators spanning 180 countries.
