Ford inked a new deal with BlackBerry to continue the expansion of its mobility efforts.
BlackBerry has signed an agreement with Ford Motor Co. for expanded use of BlackBerry’s QNX and security software.
The agreement with BlackBerry marks another step in the Ford’s ongoing effort to keep pace with new technology that promise to reshape the mobility industry in the years to come. The terms of the deal are confidential.
Long eclipsed by Apple and Samsung in the market for hand-held communication devices, the agreement with Ford is part of BlackBerry’s move away from hardware to software supporting connected vehicles and mobility for consumer.
“The future of the automobile is all about embedded intelligence. I believe our expertise in secure embedded software makes us the preferred technology provider to put the smart in the car,” said John Chen, executive chairman and CEO at BlackBerry.
“Ford is an industry leader and the opportunity to contribute our world-class technology to their products is a privilege. Ford’s expanded application of our software and services illustrates the diverse and broad value we can bring to market.”
As part of this agreement, BlackBerry will dedicate a team to work with Ford on expanding the use of BlackBerry’s QNX Neutrino Operating System, Certicom security technology, QNX hypervisor and QNX audio processing software.
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“With the success of our SYNC 3 system globally, which is based on the BlackBerry QNX operating system, we understand the importance of the connected car experience to our customers,” said Raj Nair, executive vice president Product Development and chief technical officer at Ford.
“Growing our expertise, experience and use of the BlackBerry QNX embedded software platforms will help ensure we deliver the high-quality, highly secure experience that our customers expect.”
The combination of BlackBerry’s expertise in security and QNX’s mission-critical operating systems and software for automotive applications, allows the company to offer the most secure, trusted and reliable platform that can power every aspect of the connected car.
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BlackBerry’s QNX software powers more than 60 million vehicles, including the SYNC 3 Infotainment system in Ford’s current models.
Ford also recently hired Laura Merling, a veteran Silicon Valley execitove, as vice president, Autonomous Vehicles Solutions, of Ford Smart Mobility LLC, Ford’s subsidiary working to design, build, grow and invest in emerging mobility services. Merling will report to Jim Hackett, Ford Smart Mobility LLC chairman, and be based in Palo Alto, California.
As vice president for AV Solutions, Merling will lead the commercialization of autonomous vehicles. Ford has announced its intent to have a high volume SAE level 4 fully autonomous vehicle in commercial operation by 2021.
(To see more about Ford’s deal with Unifor, Click Here.)
“While Ford’s technical teams invent and further develop the technology of autonomous vehicles, we need to invent and develop the commercialization strategy to connect this technology with the uses and users that will truly change the way the world moves,” said Hackett.
Merling comes to Ford after running her own consultancy. Prior to that, she was global general manager and executive vice president of Internet of Things for SAP and also had served served as vice president, enterprise digital transformation for AT&T.