QNX Launches "Future Ready" Automotive Platform for In-Car Computing
-- News at a Glance... * Enables in-car computing products to dynamically support new services and applications. * Leverages automotive-grade QNX RTOS to ensure high level of reliability and fault tolerance. * Platform components already being integrated into in-car products by Johnson Controls, Hyundai and others.
DIGITAL CAR CONFERENCE, DETROIT, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to the demands of vendors building in-car computing devices -- systems that integrate applications like navigation, wireless Internet access, and location-based services -- QNX Software Systems today launched its ``future ready'' QNX automotive platform at the Digital Car Conference & Exhibition. Combining an automotive-grade operating system with software development tools and applications, the QNX automotive platform gives automakers unparalleled flexibility in deploying in-car infotainment systems and next-generation telematics products.
``Our automotive customers tell us that they need OS technology suited for the safety and reliability needs of a car, not of a desktop,'' said Alec Saunders, vice president of marketing at QNX Software Systems. ``The new QNX automotive platform is ideal for this market, because its dynamically upgradable architecture lets automakers update or add features to an in-car computing system, without sacrificing reliability, long after the vehicle has left the production line.''
Components of the platform are already being integrated into products being developed by IBM, LG Electronics, Johnson Controls, Hyundai, and other customers. These products include Hyundai Autonet's mobile office and Johnson Controls' voice-enabled mobile communications system for the Chrysler Group.
Increasingly, car manufacturers are asking tier one automotive electronics suppliers for ``end-to-end'' suites of applications and hardware that can be quickly integrated to create intelligent dashboards, infotainment radios, and other in-car applications. To provide suppliers with this range of technology, QNX has established close alliances with a variety of silicon vendors and with application vendors for Java, voice recognition and synthesis, and networking protocols such as MOST, 1394, Bluetooth, and 802.11.
``By 2010 there will be over 60 million telematics-enabled vehicles in the US and over 150 million worldwide,'' according to Phil Magney, principal analyst, Telematics Research Group. ``This creates substantial opportunities for developers of embedded software and services. From navigation, to vehicle monitoring, to feature-rich infotainment systems, these telematics-enabled vehicles will require a real-time operating system that is highly reliable and offers scalability to support new applications.''
Platform Components
The QNX automotive platform includes a number of toolkits and applications to streamline the development process for tier one automotive suppliers. These include:
QNX RTOS -- A microkernel OS that allows almost any process - protocol stack, driver, or application -- to be added or upgraded dynamically. Proven in thousands of life-critical applications, the QNX RTOS can recover from errors ``on the fly'' without a system shutdown. QNX supports industry-standard POSIX APIs and a Java virtual machine from IBM so that auto manufacturers can leverage a large pool of software vendors and applications.
QNX High Availability Toolkit (HAT) -- Extends the QNX RTOS's inherent ability to tolerate faults by providing mechanisms that automate fault recovery. Can detect faults before they have a chance to escalate and allows the system designer to create automatic recovery operations that are transparent to the user.
MOST for QNX -- The Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST), a fiber- optic network optimized for the automobile industry, is a standard for building multimedia in-vehicle products. Most for QNX supports all the features defined for MOST, allowing automotive designers and developers to quickly integrate e-radios, backseat entertainment systems, Web-enabled dashboards, and other in-car infotainment devices.
QNX Infotainment Kit -- Allows the auto manufacturer to create a branded look-and-feel for in-car infotainment devices. Includes user-interface source code for browsers and media players.
Support for Automotive Hardware Platforms -- Includes board support packages (BSPs) for the leading telematics boards and processors from Hitachi, Intel, Motorola, and others.
Availability
The QNX automotive platform will be available in Q2 2002.
About QNX Software Systems
Founded in 1980, QNX Software Systems is the industry leader in realtime, microkernel OS technology. The inherent reliability, scalable architecture, and small memory footprint of the QNX RTOS make it the most trusted foundation for future-ready applications in the networking, automotive, industrial, and smart device markets. Customers worldwide like Cisco, Delphi, Siemens, Alcatel, Sony, Texaco, and Ford already depend on the QNX RTOS for network routers, medical devices, intelligent transportation systems, safety and security systems, next-generation robotics, and other mission-critical applications. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, QNX Software Systems maintains offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, and distributes its products in more than 100 countries worldwide.
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