Qualcomm, Google bring premium and intelligent in-vehicle experiences to Renault Mégane

Renault Group is working with Google and Qualcomm Technologies to design what it hopes will be a “rich and immersive” in-vehicle experience for the new E-TECH Electric range of the Renault Mégane.

The French car manufacturer will use the third-generation Snapdragon automotive cockpit platforms from Qualcomm to power the vehicle’s advanced infotainment system, which comprises portrait-sized touchscreen displays for audio, visual and navigational functions designed to bring ease of use and comfort to drivers and passengers.

The Mégane E-TECH Electric’s infotainment system is intended to meet the automotive industry’s requirements and consumers’ growing demand for premium in-vehicle experiences, as well as to underline the new car’s position as a highly competitive electric vehicle in the market.

Infotainment systems in the Mégane E-TECH Electric will come equipped with built-in Google apps and services to not only provide intelligent infotainment and in-vehicle customer applications – such as Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play – but also, said Qualcomm, to keep the vehicle fresh and current with evolving digital trends with its upgradable capabilities.

Claimed to be the automotive industry’sfirst-announced scalable artificial intelligence (AI)-based system, the third-generation Snapdragon automotive cockpit platforms are said to deliver “transformative experiences for drivers and passengers”. They are designed to transform in-vehicle experiences, supporting higher levels of compute and intelligence needed for advanced capabilities featured in next-generation vehicles, including intuitive AI experiences for in-car virtual assistance, natural interactions between the vehicle and driver, and contextual safety use cases.

The Mégane E-TECH Electric’s digital cockpit is also powered by Android Automotive Operating System, using Google’s technology to bring a new level of intelligence into the vehicles. With Google built-in, the car will also feature hands-free help from Google Assistant, positionally precise navigational maps with Google Maps, as well as a rich ecosystem of automotive applications and services on Google Play that are connected and upgradable.

“Digital cockpits have quickly transformed how drivers and passengers interact with their vehicles, allowing for more personalisation and enhanced comfort,” said Thierry Cammal, alliance global vice-president, Renault software factory. “We believe that our continued work with Google and Qualcomm Technologies is critical to redefining in-vehicle experiences, allowing us to provide advanced features and capabilities to elevate the experiences for drivers and passengers.”

Nakul Duggal, senior vice-president and general manager automotive, Qualcomm Technologies, added: “We recognise consumers’ and automakers’ increasing demands for intelligent and safe in-vehicle experiences, and we are proud to have our third-generation Snapdragon automotive cockpit platforms play a role in helping meet these needs with Mégane E-TECH Electric vehicles. We look forward to extending our long-term relationships with industry leaders like Google and Renault Group to reimagine and redesign the overall experience for drivers and passengers within this new digital age.”