We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Self Driving Car Stocks To Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) stands against the other self driving car stocks.

Advancements in artificial intelligence, data analysis, and machine learning are shaping how industries perform today. These three technological advancements have enhanced the potential of autonomous vehicles and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

However, are the consumers ready to put their hands off the driving wheel and trust self-driving vehicles? Let’s explore how the autonomous driving industry is progressing with almost all major automotive manufacturers investing significantly to put their Full Self Driving (FSD) cars on the road.

The Global Autonomous Vehicle Industry

According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the global autonomous vehicle market is valued at $41.10 billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.75% to reach $114.54 billion by 2029. The COVID-19 pandemic hindered the overall output of the automotive industry thereby delaying the production and roll-out of self-driving cars. In addition, increased government regulations to ensure road safety have also proved to be a barrier for automakers. However, with significant improvement in software and hardware technology backed by artificial intelligence, we see automakers rolling out their Level 2 and Level 3 autonomous cars on public roads.

For instance, on June 25 CNBC reported that Waymo a leading autonomous vehicle company, opened its self-driving robot taxis for users in San Francisco. The company claims that more than 300,000 people signed up for the service. To cater for the growing number of users Waymo One has rolled out a fleet of 300 cars in the city.

According to a survey by McKinsey & Company, automotive market leaders believe the autonomous segment to be less fragmented due to the complexity and investment involved in its operations. As per the survey, 15% of the respondents believe North America will have most companies working and deploying autonomous technology in the future. In contrast, 38% of respondents believe the European market to be led by at most two or three companies.

Regionally speaking, China and North America are leading the race to become the first countries to roll out Level 4 highway pilot technology. Respondents of the survey are equally divided with 58% believing either country could be the first in Level 4 technology.

As mentioned above, developing and rolling out autonomous vehicles requires a huge investment in software technology. However, the investment is also expected to return high margins. The survey found that experts believe autonomous vehicle software is expected to have an average margin of 15% and hardware technology will add another 10% to the margin, thereby making the autonomous vehicle segment a lucrative venture for automotive companies.

Latest Trends in the Autonomous Vehicle Industry

Emerging trends in the autonomous vehicle industry are paving the way towards achieving level 5 autonomy. Some of the latest developments in the industry include, the use of Internet of Things (IoT) to allow vehicles to connect with other vehicles, its environment, and the internet. This not only improves the vehicle safety by providing quick data acquisition and analysis to make timely decisions based on the traffic changes on the road. New sensor technologies such as the LiDAR scans the surrounding of the car using laser technology. When these LiDAR sensors move continuously using multiple laser sensors they create a 3D representation of the surrounding ensuring the vehicle drives safely without collision. Almost all level 3 autonomous vehicles use LiDAR scanners to enhance vehicle visibility to around 300 meters during daytime.

Moreover, advancements in artificial intelligence such as object detection algorithms along with the LiDAR help the vehicle detect pedestrians, traffic signs, and other vehicles on the road. Other deep learning algorithms are helping improve the user experience by enhanced voice recognition, gesture recognition, and sentiment analysis to help interact with the vehicle efficiently. Last but not the least, Big Data analysis techniques are being utilized by autonomous automakers to improve vehicle autonomy through analyzing data collected through radars, scanners, and cameras.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of the 10 best self-driving car stocks to buy, we looked at autonomous driving stock holdings of the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF. We selected the top 20 stocks from the ETF holdings and ranked the stocks that were the most widely held by institutional investors, as of Q1 2024. The list is in ascending order of the number of hedge fund holders for each stock.

Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 78

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) is a leading technology company that develops backend technologies for various wireless technology industries. The company operates through three main segments including Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL), and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives (QSI). The QSI segment invests in early-stage tech companies including 5G, artificial intelligence, and automotive technologies.

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) has introduced its Snapdragon Ride platform that provides advanced solutions for automated driving and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Its connectivity and digital cockpit solutions connect cars to their environment and the cloud to create a unique user experience and allow automated driving.

The company posted a successful third quarter of 2024, with revenue growing across the board. The overall revenue of the company grew by 11% year-over-year to reach $9.4 billion. Along with the revenue, the earnings of the company also grew significantly. The earnings before tax and earnings per share both grew 25% year-over-year to reach $3 billion and $2.33 billion, respectively.

The most notable financial improvement for the company came from its QCT segment, which grew 12% year-over-year to reach $8.1 billion. Growth in this segment was on the back of strong performance in both IoT and automotive sectors.

The strong position of QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) in the autonomous vehicle segment can be estimated by the fact that it delivered the 4th consecutive quarter of record QCT automotive revenues. The automotive revenue of $811 million was up 87% year-over-year, reflecting growth in new vehicle launches and increased supply of integrated technology solutions to the automotive industry.

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) is one of the best autonomous vehicle stocks to buy, we say this because it was held by 78 hedge funds in Q1 2024, with total stakes worth $4.60 billion. Renaissance Technologies is the top shareholder of the company, with a position worth $218.46 million. It is also cheap at current levels because it is trading at 16 times its forward earnings, a 28% discount to its sector. Moreover, 39 analysts have a consensus Buy opinion on the stock, with their 12-month median price target of $212.5 presenting an upside of 29% from current levels.

O’keefe Stevens Advisory stated the following regarding QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:

During the quarter, the A.I. rally broadened beyond the obvious players of Nvidia, AMD, and hyperscalers. QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), a long-standing investment, is gaining recognition for integrating artificial intelligence into mobile phones. Qualcomm’s A.I. on-device capabilities enable real-time language translation, improved voice recognition, and sophisticated imaging techniques as A.I. becomes more integral to mobile experiences. Qualcomm benefits by leading the market in providing robust, efficient, and versatile A.I. solutions. A.I. could be the first technology advancement in several years to accelerate the smartphone replacement cycle as users desire these advanced capabilities.

Overall QCOM ranks 5th on our list of the best self driving car stocks. While we acknowledge the potential of QCOM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than QCOM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.