Qualcomm Calls for Policy Push to Boost Connected Vehicle Tech in India

Qualcomm, the American semiconductor giant, is urging the Indian government to introduce policy measures that promote the rapid adoption of advanced vehicle technologies. The company believes that infrastructure upgrades and regulatory backing can accelerate the rollout of connected solutions like Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which are essential for making Indian roads safer.

Nakul Duggal, Group General Manager for Automotive and Industrial & Embedded IoT at Qualcomm Technologies, highlighted in an interview that India is not just a price-sensitive market but an emerging hub for automotive innovation. With a young, tech-savvy population, vehicles in India are increasingly seen as digital extensions of personal identity, driving demand for smarter, safer mobility solutions.

Duggal noted that technologies like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC are well-suited to India’s unique conditions and can play a critical role in scaling connected tech across the country. He emphasized that the government’s support through infrastructure planning and policy direction would be key to enabling faster deployment of V2X, which allows vehicles to communicate with each other, road infrastructure, and pedestrians to improve safety and traffic efficiency.

Qualcomm is experiencing growing momentum in India’s electric vehicle (EV) space, particularly in the two-wheeler and four-wheeler segments. The company is closely working with Indian OEMs, helping them integrate high-end features like digital cockpits and software-defined vehicles. Duggal pointed out that Indian automakers are not just catching up with global trends—they’re pushing the envelope by engaging directly with Qualcomm’s teams and co-developing next-gen features.

While China’s EV revolution was driven by top-down mandates, Duggal said India is creating a more collaborative ecosystem. He also welcomed Tesla’s planned India entry and said Qualcomm is ready to support them, as Tesla already uses many of their technologies globally.

With India producing nearly 4 million cars annually, Qualcomm sees the country as a major pillar in its strategy to double its automotive revenue to $8 billion by FY29.

Source: Moneycontrol