BlackBerry Announces QNX Software Will Power Motional's Autonomous Vehicles

On Tuesday, BlackBerry Inc. BB announced that Motional, a vehicle maker backed by Hyundai Motor Company GDR HYMTF and Aptiv PLC APTV, will be the first to use its QNX Black Channel Communications Technology for driverless systems.

What Happened: Although BlackBerry’s QNX software is used in more than 175 million vehicles, Motional will be the first to use the software in fully autonomous vehicles. Blackberry’s QNX platform is designed to protect data communication within the vehicle and the “product makes the countless nodes of data communication in embedded systems functionally safe.”

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Why It Matters: Motional prides itself on a legacy of safety, a priority shared by BlackBerry which has developed its QNX technology with safety and security at the forefront.

“QNX Black Channel Communications Technology supports Motional's mission to deliver 'safety-first' systems in an era in which driverless transportation is evolving at a rapid pace," said John Wall, senior vice president and co-head, BlackBerry Technology Solutions.

What’s Next: Autonomous vehicles are quickly moving into the mainstream, with car manufacturers and big tech companies racing to form partnerships to produce smart and autonomous vehicles.

Baidu Inc. BIDU, which also recently partnered with BlackBerry for use of its QNX technology, announced on Tuesday the deployment of its autonomous driving platform in Guangzhou.

Motional has already won approval to test its driverless cars in Las Vegas “in the coming months” and will have vehicles available for fleet operators in 2022.

(photo: Motional)