Forget about science fiction movies where you robots they bring breakfast in bed in the form of metal butlers. Most of us will experience the first real encounter with robots in our daily life in the garage. That’s the bold prediction of Cristiano Amon (Cristiano Amon), CEO of Qualcomm, who claims that in the next five years, the line between cars and robots will completely disappear.
In a conversation that rocked tech circles, Amon laid out a vision where artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just an “add-on” on the phone, but a key driver of a new industrial revolution where cars will become the “first robots” we’ll own.
The car as an “agent”, not just a means of transport
The essence of Ammon’s thesis lies in the concept generative artificial intelligence on the device itself (on-device AI). While today we use navigation to get from point A to point B, the cars of the future – powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Digital Chassis platform – will act as proactive personal assistants.
“The car will know who you are, where you’re going and what you need before you tell it,” explains Amon to Fortune. Imagine the scenario: you get into your car, and it knows based on your calendar that you’re going to work, but warns you about an accident on your usual route and suggests an alternative. While you’re driving, the car reminds you that it’s your spouse’s birthday and offers to call a florist on the way or reserve a table at a restaurant – all through natural conversation, without touching the screen.
“Snapdragon Digital Chassis”: The brain of the new robot
Qualcomm, the giant best known for smartphone chips, is aggressively expanding into the auto industry. Their platform isn’t just for entertainment; it integrates data from cameras, radars and sensors to create a complete picture of the environment. This is exactly the definition of a robot: a machine that perceives the world around it, makes decisions and acts autonomously.
Amon points out that this transition will happen quickly. “The innovation cycle has accelerated. What used to take a decade now happens in a few years,” warns the CEO. Collaborations with giants like Mercedes and BMW, as well as new players like Sony (with their Afeela car), confirm that the industry is taking this transformation seriously.
The humanoids wait their turn
Although cars are first in line, Amon does not neglect classic robots either. He believes that the same technology that powers smartphones and cars will soon breathe life into humanoid robots, which will take over dangerous or monotonous jobs.