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BlackBerry, Qualcomm seek to power future smart cars

The two companies are expanding a long-standing relationship to combine BlackBerry's software with Qualcomm's wireless tech.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
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Roger Cheng
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BlackBerry CEO John Chen has been moving the company away from smartphones. 

 Roger Cheng/CNET

Forget phones, BlackBerry wants to be in your next car. 

The security software company, which previously made smartphones, said Thursday that it's working with Qualcomm to develop platforms for the next generation of connected vehicles. The companies plan to combine BlackBerry's QNX platform, which previously powered the BlackBerry 10 mobile software for its phones, with Qualcomm modems and wireless tech. 

Some of the BlackBerry tech includes telematics and virtual cockpit controllers, which suggests work with commercial vehicles such as delivery trucks. 

The announcement is an extension of a relationship between the two companies that spans over a decade.