RIM's QNX epitomizes the growing overlap between the worlds of cars and devices

QNX Software Systems — the company purchased last year by Research In Motion, and the source of the BlackBerry Tablet platform it plans to eventually transition to its smartphones — exists at the intersection of the automotive and mobile device industries.

The 30-some-year-old company made a name for itself supplying highly reliable software for life-critical applications such as surgical equipment and air traffic control systems, and eventually the auto industry joined its client roster. Today its software is in approximately 22 million vehicles, providing services such as "infotaiment" and hands-free calling and navigation. The relationship between the industries is accelerating and deepening well beyond these features however, as evidenced by the popularity, for example, of apps that can remotely start a car and the March launch of the Car Connectivity Consortium, whose founding members include Nokia, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, General Motors, Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Andy Gryc, QNX's product marketing manager for automotive, believes it's inevitable that car companies will eventually begin offering portfolios of applications.

"I think the car companies are still trying to get their heads around what that means," Gryc told MDP, explaining there are questions about how best to leverage the various app-development communities, and also ensure a safe user experience.


"Safety is a big part of it," Gryc explained. "The phone guys don't get sued if you use your phone improperly — there's been a lot of talk about driver distraction and things like that. ... There's definitely a sensitivity to giving the customer what they want, but doing it in a way that's safe."

To point, in November, the Dept. of Transportation reportedly began investigating software that could prevent a mobile phone from operating inside a moving vehicle.

Other "huge challenges," according to Gryc, are creating in-car systems that can interact with various smartphone platforms — the average person will go through multiple handsets during their ownership of a vehicle — and determining how the car's software can be updated.

Pushing software updates to vehicles is something QNX has done in "a few instances" with customers.

Will manufacturers eventually form relationships with the carriers, pushing out updates?

"In certain circumstances there will be a relationship with a carrier," explained Gryc, offering Verizon's relationship with OnStar as an example. "But ultimately the OEM is the one who has to take control of that."

Research firm iSuppli has suggested automotive OEMs take note of how Apple handles application security issues, as well as the multitasking features in iOS 4.

"It will be easier for Apple to provide better security than other smartphones as it controls more of the application infrastructure, and Apple’s PC experience will help as well," the firm shared in a May 3 research note. "This applies to Microsoft’s Windows 7, too. Apple and Microsoft are more sensitive to security issues than smartphone vendors since they possess experience from PC malware."

The firm added that multitasking allows for location-based apps to be used with less driver interaction, and offerings such as ibooks and games could be offered for "rear-seat entertainment."

Following this theme, a June 14 note from the firm described the "strong potential" for media tablets such as the iPad to be used as "rear-seat entertainment solutions in automotive infotainment systems."

Speaking of tablets, Gryc says QNX has benefitted from its work with RIM and the PlayBook.

Regarding the design of in-vehicle user interfaces, "Car makers have a very definite opinion about what they want the user experience to be," Gryc said, explaining that QNX essentially provides the tools the car makers dictate.

"We participated in the PlayBook creation and design, and we're bringing some of that technology back into the vehicle space," added Gryc. "We'll be suggesting ways they could be doing things even better. Whether they'll want to or not is up to them."