BlackBerry does software for cars now

The growing presence in the automotive industry is key to BlackBerry’s efforts to move away from the smartphone industry for which it has become famous.

The Canadian company is expanding its joint ventures with car manufacturers and suppliers through its Technology Solutions unit which, through QNX software and radar products, operates in the sector of connected vehicles, in the research and development of autonomous technologies and in the management of fleets for the Transport industry. The strategy seems to be paying off: in the quarter ended November 30, BlackBerry recorded a net profit of 59 million Canadian dollars (44 million US dollars) on a turnover of 226 million compared to a net loss of 275 million dollars Last year. Part of the gain is due to the growth of the automotive unit, which grew 23% to $ 53 million in the quarter.

The Waterloo-based company is beginning to reap the benefits of partnerships with manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover and investments, including the 2010 acquisition of QNX whose software is present in approximately 120 million vehicles globally. Last year BlackBerry launched Jarvis, a cloud-based cybersecurity product that can identify security flaws in code used in automotive software. BlackBerry has also signed a deal with Chinese internet giant Baidu that will use QNX in its autonomous driving system. Black-Berry leverages the expertise and reputation gained in safety in other sectors, including the medical field, to support activities in the automotive sector.

BlackBerry QNX is now a cybersecurity company that provides secure foundational software for many of the world’s mission-critical embedded systems like connected cars, medical technology and trains.