Amazon, Blackberry team up on responsive in-vehicle system
Amazon Web Services will develop and market the Blackberry Ivy intelligent vehicle data platform.
BlackBerry IVY is a scalable, cloud-connected software platform that will allow automakers to create responsive in-vehicle services based on vehicle sensor data that is collected and analyzed both locally in the vehicle and in the cloud.
Automobile components, which include an increasing variety of vehicle sensors, produce data in unique and specialized formats. BlackBerry IVY will be designed to apply machine learning to that data to generate predictive insights and inferences, making it possible for automakers to offer in-vehicle experiences that are highly personalized and able to take action based on those insights.
Amazon has been actively involved in the development of advanced vehicle technologies through projects such as its Scout six-wheeled autonomous delivery device and Prime Air delivery drone. Amazon is also acquiring autonomous vehicle provider Zoox, and is designing and building custom electric delivery vehicles in partnership with manufacturer Rivian.
BlackBerry IVY will run inside a vehicle’s embedded systems, but will be managed and configured remotely from the cloud. This setup is intended to provide automakers with greater visibility into vehicle data, control over who can access it, and edge computing capabilities to optimize how quickly and efficiently the data is processed.
Automakers will also be able to deliver new features, functionality and performance to customers over the lifetime of their cloud-connected vehicles, as well as create new business models built on vehicle data. For example, drivers of electric vehicles could choose to share their car’s battery information with third-party charging networks to proactively reserve a charging connector and tailor charging time according to the driver’s current location and travel plans.
“AWS and BlackBerry are making it possible for any automaker to continuously reinvent the customer experience and transform vehicles from fixed pieces of technology into systems that can grow and adapt with a user’s needs and preferences,” said Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon Web Services Inc. “Through this joint effort with BlackBerry, we will provide automakers with the insights, capabilities, agility, and speed they need to thrive in an increasingly connected world. As automakers seek to race ahead in their digital transformations, BlackBerry IVY empowers them to build their brands and set the standard for connected vehicle services across the automotive industry.”
“Data and connectivity are opening new avenues for innovation in the automotive industry, and BlackBerry and AWS share a common vision to provide automakers and developers with better insights so that they can deliver new services to consumers,” said John Chen, executive chairman and CEO, BlackBerry. “This software platform promises to bring an era of invention to the in-vehicle experience and help create new applications, services, and opportunities without compromising safety, security, or customer privacy. We are pleased to expand our relationship with AWS to execute this vision and deliver BlackBerry IVY.”