BlackBerry Announces Autonomous Vehicle Research Center

Canadian telecommunications giant BlackBerry on Monday unveiled its new research facility for self-driving technologies.

The BlackBerry QNX Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Centre — part of the company's QNX software facility in Ottawa — will recruit and hire local software engineers to develop new systems both independently and through partnerships with the public and private sector.

The center's first projects include supporting a pilot program to test autonomous vehicles on Ontario roads — which was recently approved by provincial transportation authorities — and developing a concept vehicle with the University of Waterloo, PolySync and Renesas Electronics.

"Autonomous vehicles require software that is extremely sophisticated and highly secure," BlackBerry CEO John Chen said in a statement. "Our innovation track record in mobile security and our demonstrated leadership in automotive software make us ideally suited to dominate the market for embedded intelligence in the cars of the future."

BlackBerry dominated the early smartphone market but increasingly turned to software and business services as Apple, Samsung and other companies eroded its mobile device market share.

QNX software currently helps power more than 60 million vehicles worldwide, and BlackBerry plans to expand its capabilities to include connected vehicle systems, driver assistance functions and secure over-the-air software updates.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined BlackBerry officials at the press conference Monday and said the center would "further position Canada as a global hub for innovation."

"BlackBerry is helping to establish our country as the global leader in software and security for connected car and autonomous vehicle development," Trudeau said.