Taking Automotive Apps Where They Have Never Been Before – BlackBerry @CES 2022

At CES 2022, BlackBerry is demonstrating game-changing features of the secure connected BlackBerry IVY software platform. Jeffrey Davis, Senior Director, IVY Ecosystem at BlackBerry, talks to Auto Futures about the transformative Amazon Web Services (AWS) and BlackBerry IVY partnership. He explains how it puts automakers and developers in the driver seat, and takes automotive applications where they have never been before.

“BlackBerry IVY normalizes the data from vehicles using a synthetic sensor array for machine learning. It makes it easier to build software. And speeds up the development time,” says Davis, “BlackBerry Ivy allows automakers to create applications and enable developers right now. It’s like what Android did for smartphones.”

Blackberry has been working with AWS, and a small group of developers, to create an ecosystem. Eventually, they will have a software development kit (SDK) for the system. The types of applications they are looking at are electrification, diagnostics fleet and safety, says Davis.

BlackBerry IVY partners include HERE, Electra and Car IQ for automatic payments. Offering payments in the software allows drivers to set it up and automatically pay tolls, says Davis.

AWS, Cerence, TELUS, GEICO and cloud-based subscription management platform Zuora, are on the BlackBerry IVY Advisory Council.

In 2021 BlackBerry created the BlackBerry IVY Innovation Fund. It funds mobility and transportation start-ups helping them to bring new products and applications to market.

BlackBerry IVY in Action at CES

Amazon and BlackBerry have been working on IVY for a year now they are showing how it works in vehicles.

“At CES we are demonstrating how different drivers in electric cars will use energy differently. The vehicle automatically adapts routes and other information for the driver,” says Davis.

Over time, IVY will get to know the driver. If a driver has a sporty way of driving – the other applications can adapt to change the route and charge time suggestions for ideal charging.

Exhibited at CES is the Augmented Reality Jaguar I-PACE. It documents IVY integration and data insights. The demo in a real Jaguar I-PACE shows the data flow of signals from vehicle sensors- controlled on the IVY cloud-based console. Adaptive AI features are shown in real-time through the ‘Buck’ dashboard.

BlackBerry IVY is not just for cars. Also on display is the Tarform Motorcycle Electric Sport Bike. Electra monitors the health of the batteries.

The Blackberry IVY platform enables more capabilities with a lower cost of ownership. For example, developing software for a Ford F-150 is different from developing software for a Chevy. BlackBerry IVY makes it easier for OEMs to build the software at scale, says Davis.

AWS has been building out the synthetic sensors and situational awareness. The BlackBerry IVY system is software agnostic. It will work with Microsoft and runs on vehicles with QNX or other operating systems, says Davis.

In June 2021, Strategy Analytics reported BlackBerry QNX software was embedded in over 195 million vehicles, an increase of 20 million from the year before. More recently, in December, 2021, BlackBerry announced that they will collaborate with BMW Group and develop technology for BMW’s next-generation vehicles. BlackBerry will license its QNX technology to BMW Group. BlackBerry engineers will support the development of new SAE Level 2/2+ driving automation functions to be deployed in BMW vehicles.

Frost & Sullivan reported BlackBerry is revolutionizing the connected-autonomous ecosystem with BlackBerry IVY.

The report states, “BlackBerry IVY standardizes data access across all vehicles, regardless of brand, operating system, and cloud deployment mode.”

As more electric vehicles come to market, BlackBerry IVY is not only helping with charging but with software updates.

“We know that electric vehicle hardware is going to last a lot longer. Therefore, having BlackBerry IVY that automatically updates the software will be better,” says Davis.

Plus, Blackberry IVY allows the automaker to maintain its data contracts with consumers.

“Unlike other systems, we do not make money off of customers’ data,” confides Davis.