Canadian software company BlackBerry has rebranded its IoT division to QNX to bolster its position in the automotive and embedded software sectors.

The division, formerly known as BlackBerry IoT, will now operate under the QNX name, reflecting the brand's potential to power next-generation software-defined vehicles and mission-critical systems.

QNX provides foundational software that supports automakers and industrial companies in developing new applications, generating revenue, and creating new business models.

The rebranding initiative was influenced by feedback from customers, partners, employees, and stakeholders, the company said.

BlackBerry CEO John Giamatteo said: “Relaunching the QNX brand is an important step in BlackBerry’s broader strategy to increase our visibility and fortify our leadership within the automotive and embedded industries, with a view to better positioning us for sustained growth and success.

“The values that QNX stands for have always been a cornerstone for our customers and this brand relaunch honours that strong history while setting the stage for the division to fire on all cylinders and drive smarter, safer, and faster innovation through precision-engineered performance.”

Currently, QNX technology is embedded in over 255 million vehicles globally and is utilised in various critical systems, including medical devices, industrial controls, and robotics.

In the coming months, BlackBerry plans to update additional platforms and products to align with the QNX brand's new identity. This includes potential enhancements to the myQNX development environment.

Alongside the name change, the company has introduced a new logo, website, and distinct visual identity for the division.

QNX will unveil its full range of automotive offerings at CES, held from7–10 January 2025, at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

QNX president Mattias Eriksson said: “BlackBerry is at an inflection point and QNX is well positioned for the next 10 years as the demand for advanced hybrid cloud/edge computing capabilities becomes crucial for driving a software-defined future. The investments we have made over the last three years have set us on a well-defined path to capitalise on these trends.”

Founded in 1980 and acquired by BlackBerry in 2010, QNX is known for its real-time operating systems.

In the last fiscal year, QNX launched the QNX Software Development Platform (SDP) 8.0, a scalable foundation for automotive and IoT systems, along with QNX Sound, an audio platform for Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), and QNX Everywhere, an initiative to promote a more open development environment for QNX technologies.