BlackBerry’s QNX division and autonomous driving technology leader WeRide have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating the global development and rollout of Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for automotive OEMs and suppliers.
As part of the collaboration, WeRide’s WePilot ADAS solution, designed for L2++ passenger vehicles, is now powered by QNX OS for Safety – a trusted automotive-grade operating system known for its high safety and security standards.
The partnership has already yielded commercial success, with Bosch and WeRide deploying the system in mass production for the Chery Exceed ES and ET models, which launched at the end of 2023.
The WePilot platform delivers navigation-assisted driving in a wide range of real-world scenarios – urban, highway, and adverse weather – by integrating multi-modality sensor fusion, map-free navigation, and a full-stack deep learning algorithm. The solution has achieved key industry certifications including ISO 26262, ISO/SAE 21434, and ASPICE CL2, affirming its adherence to functional safety, cybersecurity, and system engineering quality.
Hua Zhong, SVP of Engineering at WeRide, said: “WeRide is dedicated to transforming transportation with autonomous driving solutions that prioritise safety, efficiency, comfort, and sustainability. Our collaboration with QNX is crucial to this mission. By integrating QNX’s foundational software, we are not just improving driver assistance systems but taking a crucial step towards realising a world where autonomous vehicles are a cornerstone of smart cities.”
For QNX, this collaboration demonstrates its continued relevance and leadership in powering next-generation vehicle systems. “WeRide has established itself as an innovative company that is pushing the boundaries of autonomous driving technology,” said Dhiraj Handa, SVP & GM, Asia Pacific at QNX. “Given the early commercial success with Chery, we are confident that other automakers will also recognise the value our two companies bring to the development of advanced, dependable ADAS.”
Used by global OEMs including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota, Volvo, Geely, and Honda, QNX’s software architecture underpins everything from digital cockpits and infotainment to domain controllers and autonomous systems, enabling faster innovation and scalability in a fast-evolving automotive landscape.
For commercial fleets and vehicle manufacturers in the Middle East, such developments signal the growing importance of safety-certified, AI-powered technologies that can be integrated into both passenger and commercial platforms, helping operators future-proof their investments in vehicle automation.
