OTTAWA – BlackBerry subsidiary QNX Software Systems is teaming up with Ford on open source SmartDeviceLink (SDL) technology designed to bring an intuitive and fully integrated app experience to the car.
SDL offers broad device and platform compatibility, enabling the automotive developer community to create apps that will work, unmodified, across multiple automotive brands and vehicle models. It also allows automakers to deliver a consistent app experience across vehicles, while retaining the flexibility to customize that experience for each specific brand or model, reads the news release.
Specifically, SDL allows drivers to use voice commands, steering-wheel buttons, and other in-car controls to interact with smartphone apps that provide navigation, music, location sharing, and other services. Drivers can, as a result, stay connected to their apps while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
"Through this joint initiative with Ford, QNX is helping to accelerate support for a standard that can simplify app integration and empower a larger community of app developers to add real value to the driving experience," said SVP and head of QNX Software Systems John Wall, in the release. "QNX has always been a champion of industry standards that increase interoperability, promote software reuse, and enable product differentiation. That is why we are excited to collaborate with Ford on SDL, and why we believe that it will benefit consumers, app developers, and the auto industry as a whole."
Ford created SDL by contributing its AppLink software to the open source community. Like the QNX CAR Platform and QNX Neutrino OS, SDL complies with the industry-standard Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), providing a familiar programming environment for developers.
"Through our collaboration with QNX Software Systems, SDL will gain exposure to the many automakers and Tier 1 suppliers that use QNX technology as the software foundation for their infotainment and telematics solutions," added Paul Elsila, CEO of Livio, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford and the project maintainer of the SDL open source project. "With its large market share, QNX can play a key role in driving the adoption of auto industry standards, and we are excited to work with them in building vendor-neutral technology that can simplify the integration of smartphone apps in any brand or type of vehicle."
