Apple's CarPlay Works Alongside BlackBerry's QNX Car Platform

Apple's newly unveiled CarPlay iOS vehicle integration system, which allows an iPhone to take over the in-dash display of a car, has been designed to work with BlackBerry's QNX operating system. The QNX Car Platform powers many in-car infotainment systems and includes a mobile connectivity framework that supports many mobile development environments, including iOS.

carplay_3
In a statement made to Lucas Atkins of N4BB, BlackBerry's Paul Leroux confirmed that CarPlay works alongside the QNX systems installed in many cars.

Connectivity to smartphones and other mobile devices is a key strength of QNX Software Systems' platform for car infotainment systems, and many automakers and tier one automotive suppliers use our platform to implement smartphone/head-unit integration in their vehicles. We have a long-standing partnership with Apple to ensure high-quality connectivity with their devices, and this partnership extends to support for Apple CarPlay.

CarPlay, which requires an iPhone to function, can be likened to Apple's AirPlay, mirroring the iPhone's display and functionality to the existing in-car infotainment system.

Since CarPlay was announced yesterday, multiple manufacturers, including Volvo, Ferrari, and Mercedes-Benz have shown off vehicles with CarPlay integration. Other manufacturers, such as Honda, Jaguar, Hyundai, and more, are expected to launch vehicles with CarPlay support in 2014.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...

Top Rated Comments

crackbookpro Avatar
156 months ago
Automobiles then homes... Apple is expanding their macro markets with Tim at helm.

SJ would be proud.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
paradox00 Avatar
156 months ago
Sure. But Apple is about integrating hardware and software, with CarPlay, Apple doesn't control anything.

CarPlay runs off the iPhone, which Apple controls, and Apple can ask for whatever specs they need from head unit in exchange for licensing CarPlay compatibility. Your complaint makes as much sense as complaining that speaker docks and home theatre receivers suck because Apple doesn't control the hardware.

Know what would really suck? Buying a car that only worked with iPhones. Good thing CarPlay doesn't work that way.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mikeo007 Avatar
156 months ago
Thanks for actually reporting on this properly. So many poorly researched articles out there are taking this quote and twisting it in such a way that it looks like Carplay is actually based on QNX.

Carplay is just an iOS extension, it's not some standalone thing. It works with a variety of cars too, not just QNX ones (the Volvo that they demo'd for instance is based on Android).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TC03 Avatar
156 months ago
This sucks. CarPlay is merely a layer using someone else's OS with someone else's hardware, seemingly.

I doubt Apple can leverage the quality and UX we're familiair with without fully integrating the hardware and software.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Meicyn Avatar
156 months ago
Wonder if this has anything to do with why Ford decided to ditch Microsoft Sync in favor of QNX very recently for future MyFordTouch updates.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LordVic Avatar
156 months ago
This is actually fantastic news.

it means that existing QNX based car systems MIGHT be capable of having software update to bring CarPlay to existing cars, rather than be exclusive for new models...

However, it is the car industry. I'm doubtful that'll happen, even if technologically feasible.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)