Mr. Grant Courville reports

BLACKBERRY QNX STRENGTHENS AUTOMOTIVE SOFTWARE PORTFOLIO WITH NEW SAFETY-CERTIFIED FILESYSTEM

BlackBerry Ltd. has strengthened its trusted QNX OS for Safety with the addition of a unique POSIX-compliant (portable operating system interface), ISO 26262-certified, integrity checking file system to provide OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and other embedded software suppliers an additional layer of validation when building safety-critical systems.

Certified to ISO 26262 ASIL B, the automotive industry's functional safety standard, QNX Filesystem for Safety (QFS) verifies the integrity of all file system contents at runtime, enabling embedded software developers to detect if any corruption has taken place and to take all necessary actions to maintain the safety of the system.

If, for instance, a file that ran a safety-critical function like collision avoidance or object detection got corrupted before running or was loaded with incorrect configuration data, the issue might not even be noticed until it was needed in a crucial moment, potentially leading to a dangerous or even fatal situation. QNX Filesystem for Safety guards against this, validating all data and performance parameters that safety-critical systems are built and run on.

"The rollout of QNX Filesystem for Safety reflects QNX's unwavering commitment to advancing its portfolio of functional safety-certified software, empowering our customers to build safety-critical systems with greater ease and confidence," said Grant Courville, vice-president, products and strategy, at BlackBerry QNX. "For automakers, having a precertified software stack and OS significantly accelerates time to market, reduces development costs and ensures that safety remains paramount throughout the entire life cycle -- from development to production."

"Next-generation automotive systems are pressuring engineering organizations to find new ways to accelerate their path to production," said Chris Rommel, executive vice-president of IoT (Internet of things) and embedded technology at VDC Research. "QNX's certified Filesystem for Safety removes another hurdle and point of uncertainty for manufacturers, helping them meet both safety and time-to-market requirements.

Select OEMs and Tier 1s are currently utilizing QNX Filesystem for Safety 1.0 in their development of next-generation automotive technology. The solution is now available as part of QNX OS for Safety 2.2.3.

QNX is trusted as the foundation for a software-driven future by most leading OEMs and Tier 1s worldwide, including BMW, Bosch, Continental, Dongfeng Motor, Geely, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo and more. Its foundational software supports future-proof engineering design, from digital cockpits and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to infotainment systems and domain controllers, enabling automakers to bring innovation to market faster and at lower cost.

About BlackBerry Ltd.

BlackBerry provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company's software powers over 235 million vehicles. Based in Waterloo, Ont., the company leverages AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of end point management, end point security, encryption and embedded systems. BlackBerry's vision is clear -- to secure a connected future you can trust.