Canadian software services provider BlackBerry has expanded its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to integrate the AWS cloud into BlackBerry’s operating system to help cross-industry organizations develop innovative cloud solutions.
The announcement was made at AWS re:Invent 2022 in Las Vegas this week.
By integrating BlackBerry QNX real-time operating system (RTOS) and AWS cloud technology, BlackBerry says it will help vehicle manufacturers around the world create personalized experiences for drivers and passengers and improve cloud-connected vehicle operations.
The partnership, first announced in 2020, initially focused on the connected vehicle market and is now expanding into other verticals.
AWS and BlackBerry say they also make it possible for other industries — such as robotics, medical devices, industrial controls, aerospace and defense — to benefit from the platform by reducing time to market for innovative offerings while ensuring software reliability through testing, verification and validation.
BlackBerry QNX RTOS is a cloud-native developer workbench that can be used independently – or in conjunction with – BlackBerry IVY, a cloud-connected automotive artificial intelligence platform jointly developed by BlackBerry and AWS.
“Arming our customers with our cloud-based QNX software products is a game changer for embedded developers, as they will have easy access and at their fingertips,” said Grant Courville, VP, product management and strategy at BlackBerry QNX.
“For developers of mission-critical integrated systems, this will help them accelerate collaboration and speed throughout the entire product development and deployment lifecycle. With our trusted, industry-leading operating system soon to be available on AWS, we are confident that the potential for efficiencies and cost savings will resonate throughout the IOT industry.”
In 2016, BlackBerry decided to stop making its own phones and license its brand, while focusing on its software and security business.
Touting the benefits of BlackBerry QNX, Courville noted that in the automotive industry, for example, the average car now contains more than 100 million lines of code, and global consumers and regulators are driving demand for improved features and capabilities.
OEMs are under enormous pressure to prototype, test and validate the entire vehicle software ecosystem while meeting functional safety and cybersecurity standards, says BlackBerry QNX.
Accessing the AWS-powered, cloud-native BlackBerry QNX RTOS will help address some of these challenges and reduce “developer friction,” making it possible for automakers to streamline their development efforts as they work to deliver vehicles defined by tomorrow’s software.
Early access versions of the Cloud Operating System project have been made available to select OEMs and Tier 1 vendors worldwide.