BlackBerry, Qualcomm to expand collaboration in connected-car technology

WATERLOO, Ont. – BlackBerry Ltd. (TSX:BB) has formed a strategic collaboration to develop technology for the next generation of connected vehicles with a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc., a major semiconductor company.

The Waterloo, Ont.-based company says it has agreed to help optimize select Qualcomm hardware platforms to work with BlackBerry’s QNX software, which is used to manage features of wirelessly connected cars such as infotainment systems.

They have also agreed to optimize other BlackBerry software for use with select Qualcomm Snapdragon modems.

Qualcomm and BlackBerry, which have a long-standing technology collaboration, didn’t release financial details of their new collaboration.

Earlier this year, San Diego-based Qualcomm agreed to pay a US$940 million rebate to BlackBerry to settle a dispute over royalty payments.

The automotive industry has been one of BlackBerry’s main opportunities for growth since it largely withdrew from the smartphone business and turned increasingly to secure wireless software and services.