QNX and Microsoft Team Up for Next-Gen Software-Defined Vehicles at CES 2025

When you think of BlackBerry and Microsoft in the same sentence, smartphones and their showdown in the early 2000s likely come to mind. But fast forward to 2025, and things have drastically evolved. BlackBerry has long since retired from its once-dominant handheld devices and is flexing its muscles in the automotive sector through its QNX platform. Enter Microsoft, a cloud and AI trailblazer, and suddenly, you’ve got a collaboration that’s less about handheld tech wars and all about driving innovation—literally.
Their latest convergence centers on advancing Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), and it’s poised to reshape the future of connected and autonomous cars.

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The Key Players: QNX SDP 8.0 Meets Microsoft Azure​

BlackBerry leverages its QNX Software Development Platform (SDP) 8.0—a real-time operating system (RTOS)—that’s become a cornerstone in the automotive industry. Its software foundation powers the in-vehicle infotainment, digital cockpits, and autonomous driving systems seen in many modern vehicles. Meanwhile, Microsoft Azure, with its vast cloud computing capabilities, enters as the flour for this dough—offering scalability, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) tools to accelerate automotive software development.
In practical terms, this partnership allows QNX SDP to buckle up on Azure’s cloud platform, giving developers a scalable ecosystem to build, test, and validate vehicle software rapidly. Normally, car manufacturers slog through a lengthy process—from designing vehicle software to deploying it onto physical hardware. By tapping into Azure for virtual validation, they can avoid numerous roadblocks early in the process.
This means that building automotive software won't just be faster—it’ll involve fewer risks and more robust solutions before rubber even hits the road.

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Software-Defined Vehicles: A Bright, Cloudy Future​

Let’s zoom out a second. What exactly is an SDV, or a Software-Defined Vehicle? In essence, it’s a car where the majority of its features and capabilities—whether it’s your fancy infotainment system or AI-based autonomous driving—are defined and controlled by software instead of hardware. Think of your car like a smartphone on wheels, where OTA (over-the-air) updates can improve and expand functionality without you needing to visit a dealership.
What makes SDVs particularly transformative is their adaptability. Today’s cars that feature pre-installed hardware are fairly static; your options are limited unless you’re willing to switch out hardware components. SDVs, on the other hand, are designed to evolve over time.
Here’s where BlackBerry’s and Microsoft’s collaboration becomes pivotal. By running development for these SDVs on Azure, automakers can accomplish:

• Hardware-Agnostic Development: Manufacturers won’t be as dependent on specific hardware configurations. Manufacturers could roll out cloud-first designs that are future-proof.
• Faster Time-to-Market: Testing and virtual simulations on Azure allow automotive developers to identify and squish software gremlins early—and virtually.
• Enhanced Reliability & Risk Management: Simulations in the cloud mitigate real-world risks by spotting flaws before actual implementation.

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Complementary Tools in the Toolbox​

The pair isn't just stopping with QNX SDP 8.0. They’re also extending their collaboration across two more critical innovations from BlackBerry’s arsenal:

• QNX Hypervisor: Virtual machine software that ensures SDVs can operate multiple systems independently without interference. Picture it splitting your car's infotainment system from its engine diagnostics—so that glitchy Spotify app update doesn’t accidentally impact your brakes.
• QNX Cabin Reference Architecture: A design framework that simplifies how automakers build their car interiors around SDV-ready platforms.

These components aren’t just next-generation tech—they’re the bricks and mortar of tomorrow’s connected and autonomous vehicles. Combine this with Microsoft Azure AI, and automakers gain tools to predict and solve potential problems before the car even ends up in showrooms.

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More Than Cars: IoT Implications​

Yes, this strategic alliance is about putting BlackBerry’s robust RTOS on Azure for SDVs, but the potential extends into the Internet of Things (IoT). From powering connected cities to integrating seamlessly with home automation systems, BlackBerry and Microsoft are setting the stage for IoT applications far beyond vehicles. The QNX platform’s reliability in critical systems (think medical devices and nuclear plants) could provide solutions to industries that require real-time accuracy and ironclad security.

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Executive Insights: What the Leaders Are Saying​

John Wall, Chief Operating Officer at BlackBerry QNX, highlighted that this partnership is about pioneering the next generation of automotive technology. By leveraging Azure’s AI and development velocity, the process of launching state-of-the-art features into cars will become smoother and quicker.
Meanwhile, Dayan Rodriguez, Corporate Vice President of Manufacturing & Mobility at Microsoft, emphasized the significance of empowering automakers. The combined expertise of QNX and Azure essentially gives OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) the tools to deliver smarter vehicles faster and more efficiently.
Their shared vision isn’t merely incremental innovation; it’s aiming at a paradigm shift where SDVs become the standard, not the exception.

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Why This Partnership Matters for You​

Sure, we aren’t all automotive engineers tinkering with code, but there’s something in this announcement for all Windows enthusiasts (and the larger tech-savvy community):

• For Developers: Azure’s toolkit married to QNX’s middleware creates opportunities for skilled developers to work on complex but rewarding software projects.
• For Early Adopters: If you’re eyeing the next-gen vehicle trends, rest assured that cars coming out of this partnership could redefine “smart” driving. They’ll be feature-rich, update-capable, and lightning-fast in functionality rollouts.
• For Enterprises: Beyond vehicles, any company dealing with IoT or edge computing might want to pay close attention, as these advances could transition into other tech industries.

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Wrapping Up: The Road Ahead​

BlackBerry and Microsoft collaborating might initially sound like a tech nostalgia trip, but it really marks a futuristic journey where cloud-based development meets automotive software sophistication. This partnership is a sign that what we’ve seen before in the smartphone revolution could be just the beginning of a larger, vehicle-centric tech boom.
With SDVs driving toward the mainstream, consumers should prepare for cars that act more like a savvy co-pilot than a simple mode of transportation. Meanwhile, developers, buckle up—there’s a lot of exciting road ahead.

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Source: TechRadar BlackBerry and Microsoft are collaborating on something big, but it has nothing to do with smartphones