BlackBerry talks to automakers about software deals for self-driving cars

BlackBerry is in talks with several automakers to develop software for self-driving cars. The Canadian company, known for its smartphones, will open a research center in the Canadian city of Ottawa on Monday and already has a deal with Ford.

BlackBerry is not concerned with the algorithms that control the cars, but the layer underneath that receives and interprets input from sensors, Reuters news agency writes. By creating the infrastructure that allows other companies to develop autonomous driving algorithms, the company hopes to gain a foothold in the market with limited funding.

The first Ford cars with BlackBerry software should appear on the market around 2021, the news agency writes. BlackBerry announced in October that it has a software deal with Ford and is in talks with “more than two” major automakers.

BlackBerry is no stranger to the car market. In 2010, it acquired QNX, which at that time already had partnerships with various car manufacturers. Since then, the company has remained active in the market for, for example, software for in-car entertainment systems, but this is the first time that BlackBerry will focus on self-driving cars.

The Canadian software maker recently announced a deal with TCL to license its brand name and Android release for use on smartphones. BlackBerry made another design for a smartphone, which it plans to release soon. Photos of it recently appeared online.