BlackBerry is demonstrating its next-generation over-the-air (OTA) update solution for connected cars as well as Internet of Things applications. Enabling these connected devices to remotely receive software updates and fixes, just like how smartphones and tablets get updated today, is a promising move forward for IoT.
BlackBerry says this solution will help automakers cut maintenance costs, reduce expensive recalls, improve customer satisfaction, and keep vehicles up to date with compelling new features long after they have rolled off the assembly line. The OTA update solution is part of the BlackBerry(R) IoT Platform and is designed to deliver secure, globally scalable update services for maintaining and enhancing the software in infotainment systems, telematics units, and other end-points in the vehicle.
Today's vehicles contain tens of millions of lines of software code, running on dozens of processors. Often, code must be updated to improve functionality, to fix issues, or to deliver new applications to infotainment systems. However, the conventional, reactive approach of physically updating vehicle software is costly, inconvenient, and time-consuming. The BlackBerry OTA solution can address these problems by leveraging an architecture based on a decade of software update expertise. BlackBerry has applied its proven experience in updating more than 100 million globally distributed devices to the unique hardware, operating system, and application needs of the automotive sector.
The new OTA update solution is hosted within BlackBerry's secure network and can scale to millions of vehicles, enabling automakers to cost effectively manage their worldwide fleets. It can also address the unique demands of each automaker, providing an OS-agnostic solution that can adapt to different vehicle electronic designs. As a result, automakers can address issues or add new features to enhance the customer experience, faster and at less cost.
"Offering over-the-air updates to automakers is a core capability of our IoT platform, and BlackBerry is doing it with the gold-standard security that the auto industry demands," said Steve West, Senior Director of Business Development for IoT, BlackBerry Technology Solutions. "Our infrastructure provides automakers with a hosted, global solution, built from years of technology and deployment know-how, that can lower costs and help them get to market faster. BlackBerry offers a unique combination of security, reliability, and scalability, and we have proven results, delivering tens of millions of updates per year in over 100 countries."
Demo at TU-Automotive Detroit
BlackBerry is demonstrating the OTA solution this week at TU-Automotive Detroit 2015, in the QNX Software Systems booth, C92. A customizable dashboard shows how an automaker can track software update data remotely, viewing progress by update package, individual vehicle, or any segment of the fleet, and diagnosing the type and frequency of update failures that have occurred.
For more information on the BlackBerry IoT Platform, visit blackberry.com/internet-of-things.