Smart Car Safety Tech Developer Bought By US Firm Qualcomm

US chipmaker giant Qualcomm is to acquire an Israeli startup whose tech improves road safety. 

Autotalks develops chipsets – the “brain” of a smart vehicle that communicates with all of its other components – that aim to prevent car crashes.

The chipsets are based on sensor technology, which the startup says allows vehicles to “see” around corners and through any obstacle within a radius of up to one mile to detect hazards early. 

Qualcomm is acquiring Autotalks for an undisclosed sum, but estimates in the Hebrew press put the price tag at between $350 million to $400 million. 

The US company said it will integrate Autotalks’ technology into its set of cloud-based platforms for the automotive industry. Qualcomm’s customers include VW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and Honda. 

Global sales of electric cars increased by around 60 percent in 2022, surpassing 10 million for the first time, even though car sales broadly were soft last year. The rising demand for electric cars has also increased the demand for computer chips to power the sophisticated tech found in these vehicles. 

Qualcomm has invested in a number of Israeli startups over the last decade. In 2022, it bought Cellwize Wireless Technologies, which automates mobile networks, for an undisclosed sum.

It also bought Wilocity, a wireless chipset developer, for $300 million in 2014, and DesignArt Networks, developer of tech that boosts mobile capacity on cellular networks, in 2012 for $150 million.

“It has been our mission to revolutionize safety for the transportation and automotive industry through our V2X (vehicle to everything communications, which lets cars communicate with each other and their environment) solutions,” said Hagai Zyss, CEO of Autotalks. 

“We are confident that by combining our knowledge and expertise, we will not only deliver strong V2X products that will enhance transportation efficiency and safety for road users but will accelerate widespread adoption of V2X. We look forward to serving the auto industry together with Qualcomm and to bring the best technologies to market.”