Amazon Web Services (AWS) has collaborated with BlackBerry on a multi-year global agreement to develop BlackBerry IVY, an intelligent vehicle data platform.

Through the integration of real-time operating system BlackBerry QNX and AWS cloud technology, BlackBerry IVY will help vehicle manufacturers across the globe to create personalised driver and passenger experiences and improve operations of cloud-connected vehicles.

In 2016, BlackBerry decided to stop making its own phones, and to license its brand out, while the company focuses on its software and security business.

Announced at the AWS re-Invent 2020 event this week, BlackBerry IVY is a scalable, cloud-connected software platform that will allow automakers to provide a consistent and secure way to read vehicle sensor data, normalise it, and create actionable insights from that data, both locally in the vehicle and in the cloud.

Automakers can use this information to create responsive in-vehicle services that enhance driver and passenger experiences.

“Data and connectivity are opening new avenues for innovation in the automotive industry, and BlackBerry and AWS share a common vision to provide automakers and developers with better insights so that they can deliver new services to consumers,” says John Chen, executive chairman and CEO of BlackBerry.

“This software platform promises to bring an era of invention to the in-vehicle experience and help create new applications, services and opportunities without compromising safety, security or customer privacy. We are pleased to expand our relationship with AWS to execute this vision and deliver BlackBerry IVY.”

According to AWS, BlackBerry IVY addresses a critical data access, collection and management problem in the automotive industry – modern cars and trucks are built with thousands of parts from many different suppliers, with each vehicle model comprising a unique set of proprietary hardware and software components.

These components, which include a variety of vehicle sensors, produce data in unique and specialised formats. The highly-specific skills required to interact with this data, as well as the challenges of accessing it from within contained vehicle subsystems, limit developers’ abilities to innovate quickly and bring new solutions to market.

BlackBerry IVY will solve these challenges by applying machine learning to that data to generate predictive insights and inferences, making it possible for automakers to offer in-vehicle experiences that are personalised and able to take action based on those insights.

For instance, BlackBerry IVY could leverage vehicle data to recognise driver behaviour and hazardous conditions such as icy roads or heavy traffic, and then recommend that a driver enable relevant vehicle safety features such as traction control, lane-keeping assist, or adaptive cruise control.

IVY could then provide automakers with feedback on how and when those safety features are used, allowing them to make targeted investments to improve vehicle performance.

Additionally, drivers of electric vehicles could choose to share their car’s battery information with third-party charging networks to proactively reserve a charging connector and tailor charging time according to the driver’s current location and travel plans.

BlackBerry IVY could also provide insights to parents of teenage drivers who may choose to receive customised notifications based on insights from vehicle sensors when the number of passengers in the vehicle changes, when the driver appears to be texting, distracted or not observing speed limits.

“AWS and BlackBerry are making it possible for any automaker to continuously reinvent the customer experience and transform vehicles from fixed pieces of technology into systems that can grow and adapt with a user’s needs and preferences,” says Andy Jassy, CEO of AWS.

“As automakers seek to race ahead in their digital transformations, BlackBerry IVY empowers them to build their brands and set the standard for connected vehicle services across the automotive industry.”