Our cars are getting smarter, safer and more entertaining

CES 2018 has marked another significant step forward in car technology, with a number of manufacturers revealing the latest tech for their vehicles, and three firms have partnered with chipset maker Qualcomm to make their cars smarter, safer and more entertaining.

From the march towards 5G and smart cities, to entertainment for front and rear passengers, your next car could be packing some serious technology.

British firm Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed it will be using Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820A chip in future vehicles. It means cars equipped with the chip will be able to offer a fast LTE internet connection to passengers, advanced infotainment options and the ability for the vehicle to be intelligently aware of its surroundings.

These cars will be able to stream high-definition videos seamlessly onto multiple displays, and offer internet speeds of up to 600Mbps – perfect for streaming or downloading movies, TV shows and more.

The first 820A-equipped vehicles are expected to roll off production lines in 2019.

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Meanwhile, Honda has confirmed that its 2018 Accord features a Snapdragon Automotive Platform to power applications for its in-vehicle infotainment and navigation system, including a 4G internet connection.

Looking more to the future, and Chinese firm BYD has confirmed it will use Snapdragon 820A Automotive Platform in a range of EVs (electric vehicles) which it plans to launch in 2019.

The solution is beneficial to EVs, as it uses a single platform to control all infotainment and digital cluster displays, reducing the amount of power required to run these components which in turn improves battery life and driving range.

We're reporting live from CES 2018 in Las Vegas all week and will be bringing you more from car manufacturers over the coming days.

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John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.