BlackBerry in software address Ford, first with an automaker

TORONTO/BOSTON BlackBerry Ltd (BB.TO)(BBRY.O) has signed a deal to work immediately with Ford Motor Co (F.N) to extend the carmaker's use of its QNX cozy operating machine, the Canadian era agency stated on Monday, as Ford develops increasingly more automated cars.

The cope with Ford is the primary BlackBerry has executed immediately with a chief automaker, though it presently sells its generation to auto industry suppliers.

The company is having a bet its future on increasing sales of software program products, including to automakers and different manufacturers, after largely ceding the cellphone market to opponents including Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS).

Panasonic automotive currently uses QNX software program within the Sync three infotainment console that it supplies to Ford.

BlackBerry is hoping the new deal will expand use of BlackBerry's software program in Ford cars as the 2 agencies discover other structures where it might be used.

"we will shape the basis of the entire vehicle all the manner from autonomous force via to infotainment," John Wall, the top of BlackBerry's QNX unit, said in a smartphone interview.

Ford is ramping up its driverless car efforts and plans to offer a fully automated automobile for industrial trip-sharing in 2021, it announced in August.

QNX's software is licensed to be used in independent using and active protection structures, in line with Wall.

"within the initial engagements you could think about an expansion into the cockpit; telematics, infotainment, cluster," Wall stated.

BlackBerry and Ford declined to mention how QNX might be rolled out into new systems or talk monetary phrases of the deal.

A dedicated team of QNX engineers based in Ottawa and Waterloo will work with Ford to amplify the carmaker's use of the Neutrino commercial working system, in addition to an overarching application that could manipulate other running structures and associated security era, BlackBerry said.

"we are imparting the plumbing for the vehicle that is both robust and safe and comfortable to allow the clients to construct their programs on top of that," Wall stated.

Dan stay clear of, who founded QNX in 1982, and stayed on after BlackBerry bought the organisation in 2010, left QNX on the give up of 2015. Bloomberg reported in July that Apple employed him as part of its very own self-using plans.