BlackBerry joins Baidu to rev up autonomous vehicle technology

Software major BlackBerry and leading Chinese Internet search provider Baidu on Thursday announced a collaboration to accelerate the deployment of connected and autonomous vehicle technology for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers worldwide.

As part of the deal, BlackBerry QNX's industry-leading safety operating system (OS) will become the foundation for Baidu's Apollo autonomous driving open platform.

"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," Li Zhenyu, General Manager of Intelligent Driving Group, Baidu, said in a statement.

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".

"Joining forces with Baidu will enable us to explore integration opportunities for multiple vehicle subsystems including ADAS, infotainment, gateways and Cloud services," added John Wall, Senior Vice President and GM of BlackBerry QNX.

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," Wall added.

Baidu's Apollo open platform provides a comprehensive, secure and reliable solution that consists of cloud services, an open software stack and reference hardware and vehicle platforms.

Apollo has now attracted over 70 global partners, including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, developer platforms and technology start-ups.

BlackBerry currently provides OEMs around the world with state-of-the-art cybersecurity technology to protect and mitigate, hardware, software, applications and end-to-end systems from cyber attacks.

--IANS

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