Skip to main content

BlackBerry pushes boat out for Canoo

QNX technology licensed for semi-autonomous EVs due next year
By David Arminas August 19, 2020 Read time: 2 mins
BlackBerry’s QNX operating system will be used in Canoo EVs (© Evgenyp | Dreamstime.com)

Electric vehicle (EV) start-up Canoo will use BlackBerry’s QNX operating system, including radar sensors, parking sensors and cameras, for its semi-autonomous EVs due next year.

BlackBerry will licence to Canoo its QNX technology, which is used in more than 175 million vehicles on the road.

The deal includes Blackberry’s QNX OS for Safety 2.0 to serve as the foundation for the autonomous vehicle (AV) features within Canoo’s EVs.

QNX OS for Safety is an operating system that embedded developers can use to build safety-critical systems.

Based on BlackBerry’s secure QNX Neutrino real-time operating system (RTOS), QNX OS for Safety has been certified to ISO 26262 ASIL D and IEC 61508 SIL3.

Canoo aims to bring its first production vehicles to market with advanced level 2 or level 2+ autonomy as standard by the end of 2021.

Level 2 features are deemed partial autonomy, enabling the vehicle to manage acceleration and steering and monitor components of its environment in certain conditions.

“Canoo is pushing the boundaries of AV development, challenging the traditional way of building, offering and using vehicles,” said John Wall, senior vice president of BlackBerry Technology Solutions.

“The global AV market is expected to reach nearly $600 billion by 2026," said Phil Weicker, head of propulsion and electronics at Canoo.

"As these systems become more affordable and available to implement in the mass market, our membership model makes it easy to keep our vehicles up-to-date with the latest in ADAS technology."

Canoo, based in Los Angeles, California, is offering EV for subscription and said that its first one will launch at the end of 2021.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Germany pushes expansion of electromobility
    November 13, 2012
    Berlin wants to expand its role as the showcase city for electromobility. The charging infrastructure within the capital is to increase from 100 to 300 by 2013 and to 800 by the end of 2015. The Berlin senate has released a corresponding EU-wide tender. Germany Trade & Invest will present the industry’s latest prospects and developments at this year's "The Battery Show" in Detroit. An increasing number of municipalities have consulted the Federation of German Industry for Electromobility for information reg
  • Level 4/5 autonomous driving will be possible in the next five years, says research
    May 9, 2017
    Growing consumer preference for convenience-enhancing technologies and automobiles-as-a-service options helped double the adoption of vehicles with automated driving features in 2016, says Frost & Sullivan’s mobility team. Going forward, large-scale investments from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will refine the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive cloud-based technology solutions even further, enabling level 4/5 autonomous driving within the next five years. Retrofitted automated driv
  • Virgin Hyperloop One unveils end-to-end app and test pod at CES 2018
    January 9, 2018
    Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO) has launched its passenger application demo, powered by Here Technologies (Here), at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018. The app aims to provide an end-to-end passenger experience by enabling users to book and pay for a journey as well as other modes of transportation, including public, private and ride-shares. The Hyperloop first-generation pod was also unveiled. Through Here’s Mobile Software Development Kit for Business, the application is said to offer detailed location,
  • Weigh in motion reduces road wear, increases toll revenue
    January 24, 2012
    IRD, Inc's Terry Bergan discusses future applications of weigh in motion technology. The application in recent years of Weigh In Motion (WIM) at tollgates has been driven by recognition of the fact that there is economic value, which can be levied, attached to Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) which haul laden (and are therefore heavy) rather than empty. As wear and damage to road surfaces increases exponentially with weight, the targeting of HGVs in particular makes sense from both the economic and maintenance p