Autotalks

Autotalks is an Israeli semiconductor company specializing in V2X (vehicle-to-everything) communication chips. The company develops dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) and C-V2X chipsets designed to enable vehicles, infrastructure, and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists to exchange safety-critical data in real time. Autotalks was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Kfar Netter, Israel.

In 2023, Qualcomm announced the acquisition of Autotalks, marking the single most significant event in the company's history. The deal brought Autotalks's V2X silicon expertise under Qualcomm's automotive division.

Autotalks's primary focus is fabless semiconductor design for V2X communication. Its chipsets implement both DSRC (IEEE 802.11p) and C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything, based on 3GPP standards) protocols, allowing vehicles to broadcast and receive position, speed, and hazard information with very low latency — a requirement that cloud-based telematics cannot meet. The buyers are automotive OEMs and Tier-1 automotive suppliers integrating safety systems into new vehicle platforms. The technology is also applicable to roadside units (RSUs) deployed by infrastructure operators.

Autotalks's flagship product family is the CRATON chipset series, which supports both DSRC and C-V2X in a single design, enabling dual-mode V2X communication. The CRATON2 generation added enhanced security features and lower power consumption compared to the original CRATON. A separate chipset line, PLUTON, was designed specifically for pedestrian and cyclist safety devices — lower-cost, lower-power units intended for wearables and e-bikes that can communicate with CRATON-equipped vehicles.

The V2X semiconductor space is narrow and technically demanding. Named competitors include NXP Semiconductors, which has a long-established V2X chipset portfolio (the RoadLink family), and Qualcomm itself, which developed its own C-V2X modems before acquiring Autotalks. The acquisition by Qualcomm effectively consolidates two of the main V2X chip suppliers. Regulatory tailwinds — including European and U.S. mandates pushing V2X adoption in new vehicles — have driven interest in the space, though standardization debates between DSRC and C-V2X delayed broad deployment for several years.

Autotalks operated out of Kfar Netter with its core R&D team in Israel. As a fabless chip company, the Israel office housed the primary engineering functions: chip architecture, RTL design, firmware, and system engineering. Detailed public information about current headcount or post-acquisition office status is limited.