When Henry Ford released the Model T in 1908, there were fewer than 200,000 cars on the road. Fast forward a century to 2010, and there are more than 1 billion autos.
Cars haven’t just multiplied, they have also evolved to the point that, aside from four tires and a steering wheel, Henry Ford might not recognize them today. And actually, the days of turning the steering wheel are nearing an end.
BlackBerry and Ford were already working together on the SYNC 3 infotainment system before the announcement on Oct. 31 that the two companies will be partnering more closely on the future of the automobile, and specifically on putting the smart in the connected car.
BlackBerry QNX may already be the automotive market leader (above), but the news about our alliance with the world’s fifth-largest automaker still garnered wide praise from observers throughout last week. Here’s a recap of what they had to say, in case you missed it:
“The deal marks a major milestone for BlackBerry, which so far has been selling its technology to auto industry suppliers, but not directly to automakers. … Eliminating the middleman and becoming a Tier One supplier for Ford paves the way for BlackBerry to become a more important player on the auto scene.” – Tech Times
“The combination of BlackBerry’s expertise in security and QNX’s mission-critical operating systems and software for automotive applications, allows the company to offer the most secure, trusted and reliable platform that can power every aspect of the connected car.” – Auto Connected Car News
“The Canadian company is developing software for several challenges facing car companies, including helping to coordinate functions for autonomous vehicles.” – The Wall Street Journal
“[BlackBerry’s software] will also provide more security at a time when worries abound about the possibility that in-car communications systems are susceptible to hacking.” – USA Today
“Sync 3 replaced the buggy MyFord Touch system and has been widely heralded as a huge improvement. QNX’s stability is a big part of the reason why.” – Business Insider
“Chen deserves credit for his attempt at transitioning Blackberry away from legacy offerings. The fact that the company is still in business and pushing forward into new spaces speaks volumes about the determination of management to remake the company for a new path forward.” – CNBC
“The new deal means BlackBerry can put itself at the center of Ford’s future plans for self-driving cars, helping the Canadian company in its stated aim of pivoting from a hardware company to a software one.” – The Verge
“The deal will create a direct link between the two companies and shorten the turnaround time for new software developments.” – ZDNet
“This announcement also pushes BlackBerry one step closer to securing the connected market, as the company recently announced the deployment of its IoT trucking software with the Caravan Transport Group in September.” – Mobile Syrup
“The announcement is a big win for BlackBerry, too, as the company strengthens its brand as a IoT/software/security provider rather than phone-maker.” – Simply Investasia
“…a successful outcome from the present deal with Ford will catapult BB as an established provider of intelligent OS for automobiles which can be put to use by other automobile manufacturers globally.” –N4BB
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“Sync 3 replaced the buggy MyFord Touch system and has been widely heralded as a huge improvement. QNX’s stability is a big part of the reason why.” – Business Insider
“This announcement also pushes BlackBerry one step closer to securing the connected market, as the company recently announced the deployment of its IoT trucking software with the Caravan Transport Group in September.” – Mobile Syrup