After the Ford Sync development conference at Super Mobility Week, comes Uplinq the Qualcomm developer conference in San Francisco, this week. It’s no surprise that Qualcomm wants to get its tech into cars, Formula E cars with Qualcomm Halo Wireless EV Charging at the FIA Formula E.
In a video, Edward Van Boeheemen inventor of Halo in a speeding BMW i8 is asked questions by Pat Kusbel with Qualcomm’s Automotive Solution, on race track by Formula E driver Nelson Piquet Jr.
The Qualcommm Halo charging was used in FIA Formula E Qualcomm Safety Cars (two BMW i8s) and the medical car and extraction cars (BMW i3s) in the future Qualcomm is planning to charge not only the official course cars but also the race cars, and eventually all the cars throughout the races via wireless charging in the pavement.
We find this very interesting that the first place technology we see companies car with car tech is to the race track as illustrated by the Verizon sponsorship of Indy cars.
Qualcomm is taking Qualcomm inventions into cars by taking the same technologies from smartphones, hardening them with automotive requirements for vibration, temperature and stability to insure radio performance.
Qualcomm wireless EV charging is useful for the driver because it takes away the need to plug-in your car and takes away range anxiety. The car can be charged with a magnetic field the way wireless phone charges work.
Qualcomm is making a cohesive platform to enhance the driving experience.
Any parking spot fitted with Qualcomm Halo technology is a place to recharge an electric car. In the future Qualcomm forsees wireless charging embedded in roadways.
Qualcomm Halo technology is configurable to meet a number of electrical, packaging, communications, operational, and performance needs. Qualcomm works directly with auto manufacturers to help design systems.
Qualcomm stated that it chose to sponsor Formula E because Formula E has the potential to make EVs “sexy” not just for those “on the fence” about purchasing an EV but also for the next generation of car owners.
Qualcomm notes in its blog that car buyers want cars act as a theater/ concert, 3D navigation, mobile hotspot, mobile concierge service, heads-up safety display and more that can be achieved with… Qualcomm technologies.
Qualcomm bought the technology and other assets of HaloIPT, developer of wireless charging technology for electric road vehicle in November 2011.
A competitor to Qualcomm Halo is Wi-Tricity which will be available for Toyota hybrids and plug-ins in 2016.