BlackBerry QNX and Intel Collaborate to Launch Software-Defined Functional Safety Platform to Help Industrial Automation

Joint Functional Safety Certification Platform provides manufacturers with a simplified path to build reliable, functionally safe and cyber-secure industrial automation solutions

WATERLOO, Ontario, Canada, November 1, 2024 – BlackBerry today announced an expansion of its long-standing collaboration with Intel Corporation to help manufacturers design, build and securely certify their industrial systems and robotics applications as they move closer to Industry 5.0.

In functional safety-critical environments such as manufacturing and warehousing, industrial automation technology is transitioning to more collaborative application scenarios, where machines and humans work together in a shared workspace. As these systems evolve, functional safety (FuSa) plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of machinery and personnel. Compliance with the IEC 61508 standard ensures that industrial systems and robotic applications meet the standard functional safety lifecycle requirements.

“The collaboration between Intel and BlackBerry QNX brings to market an IEC 61508 SIL 3 certified hardware/software platform that simplifies the process for manufacturers to develop and deliver functional safety and cybersecurity systems,” said Grant Courville, senior vice president of products and strategy at BlackBerry QNX . “QNX® OS is renowned for its cybersecurity, functional safety, reliability and hard real-time performance, and our expanded collaboration with Intel delivers a safety-certified platform for safety-critical industrial systems and robotics applications.”

As technology and society become increasingly integrated, humans and machines are collaborating in unprecedented ways, and the need for functional safety is increasing. The platform helps accelerate the development of functional safety applications and simplify design architecture, saving costs and time in obtaining functional safety certification and implementing hardware redundancy.

"Intel and QNX have long been committed to helping customers build reliable and functionally safe solutions, and now we are extending this successful collaboration to the industrial automation field," said Ricky Watts, senior director of Intel Manufacturing Solutions . "This collaboration ensures that the core hardware and software components embedded in the foundational layer meet functional safety requirements, and manufacturers will be able to achieve certification of industrial innovations more easily, quickly and at a lower cost."

QNX OS is IEC 61508 SIL 3 certified for functional safety, enabling manufacturers to build their functionally safe (FuSa) industrial systems and robotics applications.

To learn how the platform simplifies the design and development of functional safety-critical systems by providing a unified hardware and software foundation, please register for a webinar hosted by BlackBerry QNX and Intel on November 12 at 11:00 p.m. Beijing time.