QNX and Vector Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Launch Foundational Vehicle Software Platform
- Strategic partnership between two industry leaders in automotive software
- Platform will meet highest functional safety (ISO 26262 ASIL D) and cybersecurity (ISO 21434) standards
- Potential to reduce development time and costs for OEMs
- Integration capability with TTTech Auto's MotionWise Schedule provides additional flexibility
- Certified release not available until end of 2026, potentially lagging behind market needs
- Limited initial access as early version only available to selected partners
- Success depends on OEM adoption and industry standardization
Insights
BlackBerry's QNX division partners with Vector to build automotive software platform, strengthening position in growing software-defined vehicle market.
This strategic partnership between BlackBerry's QNX and Vector addresses a critical inflection point in the automotive industry. The automotive software market is undergoing a fundamental transformation as vehicles evolve from hardware-centric machines to software-defined platforms, creating exponential complexity challenges for manufacturers.
The jointly developed Foundational Vehicle Software Platform combines QNX's safety-certified operating system with Vector's middleware technology, potentially creating a streamlined foundation for automotive software development. What makes this particularly significant is the platform's integration capability with TTTech Auto's MotionWise Schedule algorithm, offering manufacturers flexibility in how software components are scheduled and executed.
From a technical perspective, this platform directly addresses a major pain point for OEMs - the resource-intensive process of software integration across multiple electronic control units (ECUs). By providing a pre-integrated foundation that meets ISO 26262 ASIL D safety standards and ISO 21434 cybersecurity requirements, the platform could substantially reduce development overhead and allow manufacturers to focus engineering resources on differentiating features.
The announcement outlines a measured rollout strategy: Early Access for selected partners in 2025, followed by a fully certified release planned for end of 2026. This extended timeline reflects the rigorous validation requirements for safety-critical automotive systems.
This collaboration positions QNX to maintain relevance in the evolving automotive technology stack where software increasingly defines vehicle capabilities. The emphasis on standards alignment also suggests the platform is designed for long-term ecosystem compatibility rather than a proprietary solution, which should appeal to OEMs concerned about vendor lock-in.
Joint Platform to Streamline Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Development and Accelerate Time to Market
STUTTGART, GERMANY / ACCESS Newswire / June 23, 2025 / QNX, a division of BlackBerry Limited (NYSE:BB)(TSX:BB) and Vector today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and deliver a Foundational Vehicle Software Platform, a next-generation solution designed to help accelerate the development of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and reduce the complexity of automotive software integration.
Two technology leaders join forces: Dr. Matthias Traub (Vector) and John Wall (QNX) sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the Foundational Vehicle Software Platform for Software-Defined Vehicles. © Vector Informatik GmbH
Strategic Alliance to Simplify SDV Development
The Foundational Vehicle Software Platform represents a strategic collaboration between the two industry leaders, combining Vector's safe middleware technology with QNX's safety-certified operating system. As part of an existing integration between QNX and TTTech Auto, the platform can also be extended to include MotionWise Schedule, TTTech Auto's deterministic, time-triggered scheduling algorithm, providing more flexibility and choice in the scheduling of platform components and applications. The Platform is built to serve as a lightweight, reliable, and optimized core for application development and deployment across electronic control units (ECUs) in modern vehicles.
Lightweight, Scalable, and Standards-Aligned
Designed with performance, safety, and ease of use at its core, the Platform will help OEMs reduce duplicative software development and rework-enabling them to focus on delivering differentiated in-vehicle experiences while accelerating the journey from research to production and onto roads. At the same time, this initiative embodies a transformation from the traditional automotive value chain to a dynamic value network, fostering open collaboration models and aligning with key industry standards to ensure long-term ecosystem compatibility.
Early Access and Industry Debut
"The automotive industry is at a tipping point, where software complexity threatens to outpace innovation," said John Wall, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Product, Engineering and Services at QNX. "By joining forces with Vector, we're delivering a foundational platform that seeks to remove significant friction from the development process and empower OEMs to focus on what truly matters - creating transformative driving experiences for their customers. This is about building smarter, safer vehicles, faster."
"This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our mission to advance the frontier of automotive software engineering," said Matthias Traub, President & Managing Director at Vector. "Together with QNX, we are co-developing a foundational platform that delivers best-in-class performance, combining openness, safety, and scalability. It empowers the entire ecosystem-from OEMs to developers - to build the next generation of intelligent vehicles."
An Early Access version of the platform will be made available to selected partners later this year, enabling early prototyping, integration, and feedback. A certified release is planned for the end of 2026, meeting the highest functional safety (ISO 26262 ASIL D) and cybersecurity (ISO 21434) standards.
An early demonstration of the Foundational Vehicle Software Platform will be showcased at Automobil-Elektronik Kongress in Ludwigsburg on June 24-25, where QNX and Vector, together with TTTech Auto will jointly present additional technical and strategic insights.
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About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world around us. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company's high-performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security, and reliability. With a deep heritage in Secure Communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure, and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications, and critical events management.
About QNX
QNX, a division of BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB), enhances the human experience and amplifies technology-driven industries, providing a trusted foundation for software-defined businesses to thrive. The business leads the way in delivering safe and secure operating systems, hypervisors, middleware, solutions, and development tools, along with support and services delivered by trusted embedded software experts.QNX® technology has been deployed in the world's most critical embedded systems, including more than 255 million vehicles on the road today. QNX® software is trusted across industries including automotive, medical devices, industrial controls, robotics, commercial vehicles, rail, and aerospace and defense. Founded in 1980, QNX is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. Learn more at qnx.com.
©2025 BlackBerry Limited. Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design, QNX and the QNX logo design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.
About Vector
Vector Informatik GmbH is the leading manufacturer of software tools and components for the development of software-based electronic systems and their networking. For more than 35 years, Vector delivers efficient, high-performance solutions for embedded systems to OEMs and suppliers in the automotive, aerospace, medical, rail, and related industries.
With a strong commitment to open, modular, and scalable software platforms (Vehicle-Cloud)-built on proprietary components and seamlessly integrating open-source ones - Vector is a key enabler of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) transformation. It collaborates with industry leaders such as Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Mahindra on strategic SDV initiatives.
Vector employs more than 4,500 people worldwide and generated sales of EUR 1.01 billion in 2024. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, Vector has subsidiaries in Brazil, China, France, Great Britain, India, Italy, Japan, Austria, Romania, Sweden, South Korea, Spain, and the United States.
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Editorial contact partner:
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SOURCE: QNX
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
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