BlackBerry QNX Unveils High-Performance Compute-Ready Operating System for Next-Gen Vehicles and IoT Systems

BlackBerry has announced the early access release of QNX® Software Development Platform (SDP) 8.0, a cutting-edge operating system designed to advance software development efforts in next-generation vehicles and IoT systems. This release enables automakers and developers to create more powerful products while upholding the unmatched safety, security, and reliability standards synonymous with QNX technology.

Driven by the next-generation QNX® operating system, SDP 8.0 harnesses the performance potential of multi-core processors, which are increasingly adopted by automakers and IoT system developers. Through extensive research and development, BlackBerry QNX has leveraged its leading intellectual property and expertise in high-performance EDGE computing to create this highly secure embedded OS, showcasing a remarkable 1-to-1 performance scaling factor as the number of cores increases. This scalability is unprecedented for a commercial real-time operating system, allowing customers to fully unleash the potential of next-gen processors while optimizing compute resources and reducing overall costs.

QNX SDP 8.0 serves as the foundation for BlackBerry’s next-generation product portfolio, including QNX OS for Safety, QNX Hypervisor, and QNX Hypervisor for Safety. This versatile platform empowers developers to embrace the benefits of the new technology, regardless of their specific requirements within the BlackBerry QNX ecosystem.

John Wall, Senior Vice President and Head of BlackBerry QNX, emphasized the transformation of the automotive industry towards software-defined vehicles, stating, “The automotive industry is redefining software in the vehicle. Automotive architectures are transitioning to zonal, central compute, and ultimately Software Defined Vehicles. The top-to-bottom scalability inherent to SDP 8.0, the QNX OS for Safety, and the QNX Hypervisor makes this a natural choice for automakers looking for a total car OS.”

BlackBerry is also collaborating with NVIDIA to integrate the QNX OS microkernel into the next-generation NVIDIA DRIVE Thor, a centralized computer platform that combines automated driving with an AI cockpit, delivering exceptional performance of 2000 TFLOPS. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the nearly two-decade-long collaboration between BlackBerry QNX and NVIDIA, positioning both companies at the forefront of the automotive industry.

As the automotive landscape continues to evolve, with an estimated 300 million vehicles capable of over-the-air software updates projected to be on the road by 2032, the need for advanced development tools becomes increasingly apparent. Alex Oyler, a director at SBD Automotive, highlights the significance of a secured-by-design operating system that seamlessly integrates with other software components, enabling a safe, secure, and seamless driving experience. By providing validated software and well-integrated development tools, BlackBerry QNX empowers automakers and suppliers to efficiently build and maintain differentiating software for their fleets.

The early access release of QNX SDP 8.0 marks another significant stride in BlackBerry’s commitment to driving innovation and delivering superior solutions that propel the future of the automotive and IoT industries. With its exceptional performance, safety, and security features, this platform sets the stage for the continued advancement of software-defined vehicles and IoT systems.