BlackBerry and Chinese Internet search provider Baidu announced today that the two companies will collaborate to accelerate the deployment of connected and autonomous vehicle technology for automotive OEMs and suppliers worldwide.
The companies have signed a statement of intent to make BlackBerry QNX’s industry-leading ISO26262 ASIL-D certified safety operating system (OS) the foundation for Baidu’s Apollo autonomous driving open platform.
BlackBerry and Baidu will also work together to integrate Baidu’s CarLife, the leading smartphone integration software for connected cars in China, as well as its conversational AI system DuerOS, and high definition maps to run on the BlackBerry QNX Car (Infotainment) Platform.
Li Zhenyu, General Manager of Intelligent Driving Group, Baidu said,
“BlackBerry QNX has established itself as the OS platform for safety-certified production-based systems,
“We aim to provide automakers with a clear and fast path to fully autonomous vehicle production, with safety and security as top priorities. By integrating the BlackBerry QNX OS with the Apollo platform, we will enable carmakers to leap from prototype to production systems. Together, we will work toward a technological and commercial ecosystem for autonomous driving, intelligent connectivity, and intelligent traffic systems.”
The automotive industry is one of the fastest-growing segments of the technology market, as automakers race to add more features toward building self-driving cars.
John Wall, Senior Vice President and GM of BlackBerry QNX said,
“Joining forces with Baidu will enable us to explore integration opportunities for multiple vehicle subsystems including ADAS, infotainment, gateways, and cloud services,”
“Baidu has made tremendous strides in Artificial Intelligence and deep learning. These advancements paired with their high-definition maps and BlackBerry’s safety-critical embedded software and expertise in security will be crucial ingredients for autonomous vehicles.”
Announced by Baidu this past April, Apollo is an open platform that provides a comprehensive, secure, and reliable solution that consists of cloud services, an open software stack, and reference hardware and vehicle platforms. It supports all major features and functions of an autonomous vehicle.
Apollo has now attracted over 70 global partners, including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, developer platforms, and technology start-ups. The project was named after the historic lunar landing program to illustrate its scale and complexity.
BlackBerry has already signed various deals for next-generation automotive systems with chipmaker Qualcomm  as well as technology companies Denso <6902.T> and Aptiv Plc .
As part of the latest agreement, BlackBerry and Baidu will also combine Baidu’s smartphone integration software for connected cars and its AI system to run on the BlackBerry QNX Platform, the software maker said.
