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BlackBerry Limited’s BB QNX division recently joined forces with Leapmotor, a pioneering China-based EV manufacturer, to innovate its newest offering — the Leapmotor B10. Designed for global markets, the B10 is the first model in Leapmotor’s new B-series. It has already gained strong momentum in the automotive world, securing more than 15,000 orders within the first hour and a staggering 31,688 orders in the first 48 hours of its China-only presale earlier this month.
How Does BB’s QNX Platform Stand Out?
QNX is widely recognized as a trusted platform for powering the software-defined vehicles of the future, with adoption by major OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers such as BMW, Bosch, Continental, Dongfeng Motor, Geely, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. Its core software enables forward-looking vehicle design across a range of systems, from digital cockpits and ADAS to infotainment and domain controllers, helping automakers accelerate innovation while reducing development costs.
Developed on Leapmotor’s proprietary LEAP3.5 architecture, the B10 combines cutting-edge software and hardware to power its smart electric vehicle (EV) capabilities. It incorporates a wide range of QNX technologies, such as the QNX Neutrino Realtime Operating System (RTOS), QNX Software Development Platform (SDP 7.1), QNX Hypervisor and the QNX OS for Safety, which is certified to TUV Rhein’s ISO26262 ASIL D standard. These technologies serve as the backbone for the B10’s advanced digital cockpit and its L2+ autonomous driving domain controllers.
Driven by the trusted QNX Neutrino RTOS and QNX Hypervisor, the B10 offers both flexibility in design and scalability. The QNX Hypervisor allows Leapmotor to run multiple systems with mixed criticality on a single hardware platform, significantly reducing development and ownership costs. Certified to ISO 26262 ASIL D, this safety-focused OS is ideal for autonomous driving features, ensuring the highest levels of safety integrity.
BB’s QNX shares a long-standing partnership with Leapmotor starting in 2021 with the release of the Leapmotor C11, the company’s third-generation mid-size electric crossover SUV, which also relied on QNX technology. Leapmotor has already revealed plans to launch additional B-series models in 2025. With QNX technology powering its digital architecture, Leapmotor is well-positioned to meet the evolving demands of a competitive EV market with innovation, safety and connectivity. The development is expected to give a boost to Blackberry’s shares.
BB Thrives on QNX Momentum Amid Automotive Slowdown
BlackBerry’s QNX business, formed by rebranding its IoT unit, is gaining from strength in the automotive segment, particularly strong demand for its solutions across the advanced driver assistance systems market and digital cockpit domain. The rapid adoption of the QNX platform in both the Auto and General Embedded markets is a plus. Continued design win momentum is anticipated to further strengthen the QNX royalty backlog. In the last reported quarter, revenues from this segment totaled $65.8 million, surpassing the company’s guidance of $60-$65 million. During the quarter, the company continued its design win momentum in the core digital cockpit and ADAS.
The increasing adoption of the next-generation version of the QNX operating system, SDP 8.0, in the Auto and General Embedded market and the release of the QNX General Embedded Development Platform bode well for BB’s financial prospects in terms of revenue as well as share price performance. Growing momentum in QNX Cabin with multi-year deal wins from the top 10 global auto OEMs further cushions its prospects. Despite delays in automotive software development, QNX’s royalty backlog grew year over year to about $865 million. This shows that QNX is adding future royalty revenue faster than it’s being recognized, which BlackBerry sees as a strong sign of the business’s long-term health.
In March 2025, QNX extended its collaboration with Advantech, a specialized provider of embedded platforms and services, to further enhance support for joint customers. They have worked together previously to develop pre-integrated, modern solutions for industries ranging from medical devices and industrial automation to aerospace and defense, robotics and agricultural technology.
However, potential supply chain disruptions and demand shifts in the automotive sector are likely to pose challenges for QNX in fiscal 2026. Plagued by a volatile automotive backdrop, the company anticipates a sequential drop in QNX revenues from $65.8 million reported in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2025 to $51-$55 million in the fiscal first quarter of 2026.