'BlackBerry' Inks Deal With Ford For Expanded Use of 'QNX Software'

'Blackberry' inked an agreement with Ford that allows expanded use of its QNX software. The Canadian company has achieved a "Tier One" supplier status which eliminates the need for middleman bringing it to one of the top software providers in the automobile industry.

Prior to the deal, Ford was paying third-party supplier Panasonic, for its SYNC software. The agreement presents the possibility of Ford working on self-driving cars, and asked the Canadian company for help in the software area of automobile development.

The deal of 'BlackBerry' with Ford allows expanded use of Blackberry's QNX software. The agreement includes the infotainment and security software of Ford vehicles. The QNX will power the SYNC3 in-car infotainment system,  supplied previously by Microsoft. BlackBerry will form a team that is focused on improving the software supplied to ford. However, no details about the financial terms have been revealed.

In a report by CNBC, "Auto technology is a growth opportunity for 'BlackBerry'; the industry overall is expanding at breakneck speed." BlackBerry is adding a team dedicated to Ford, which will help in expanding the use of QNX in several areas of automobile software. "The fact that the company is still in business and pushing forward into new spaces speaks volumes about the determination of management to remake the company for a new path forward," CNBC writes. While the company is not starting over, the history that 'BlackBerry' has with Ford has progressed into adding more intelligent vehicular operating systems that Ford will be offering to its consumers.

After years of struggling in the mobile phone arena, 'BlackBerry' has expanded to the automobile software development. This is great news for both Ford and BlackBerry, the first having to transact direct to the software developer, while the latter progressing towards the automobile industry. Indeed, the deal is a win-win situation.