This text first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on June 29, 2026 – July 5, 2026
AS the function of software program turns into more and more vital throughout industries, market gamers imagine BlackBerry Ltd’s QNX foundational software program platform and coaching initiatives may assist Malaysian firms transfer into higher-value segments of their respective areas.
Automotive components and electronics producer MCE Holdings Bhd (KL:MCEHLDG), for one, says the QNX In all places programme, which could be accessed totally free for non-commercial use, will decrease boundaries to entry for firms which might be within the early a part of their software program improvement journey.
“For MCE, nevertheless, it is a journey that’s already underway. Right this moment, we develop options utilizing platforms equivalent to Android, Linux and QNX, relying on the appliance necessities. We imagine MCE just isn’t alone on this regard, and that various Malaysian automotive suppliers are already growing capabilities in these areas,” its group managing director Dr Goh Kar Chun tells The Edge.
MCE produces superior automotive electronics options, equivalent to infotainment, good cockpit and superior driver-assistance system (ADAS)-related applied sciences, for automotive firms. Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) is a serious associate and buyer.
As MCE evolves into producing extra superior automotive electronics options, the corporate has continued to strengthen its software program improvement capabilities, says Goh. “These options depend on the mixing of each {hardware} and software program, and we anticipate software program to play a fair greater function in future mobility applied sciences.”
He provides that expertise and functionality improvement are key to Malaysian automotive components producers shifting up the worth chain, from being producers of electronics and different components to changing into software program builders and system integrators.
MCE’s Goh: In the end, the chance just isn’t the platform itself, however what Malaysian firms can construct on prime of it (Photograph by Low Yen Yeing/The Edge)
Goh says engineers should have not solely the best abilities, but in addition publicity to {industry} platforms, instruments and applied sciences to construct their software program capabilities. To offer such publicity, {industry} will want the continued collaboration of producers, expertise suppliers, universities and authorities companies.
That is the place BlackBerry is available in. The Ottawa-based multinational software program firm that began the smartphone revolution twenty years in the past has been utilizing Malaysia as its Asia-Pacific hub, particularly for secured communications. Now, it’s serving to to develop expertise in software program improvement with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
“It’s so vital for Malaysia. To my restricted data, I’d say that the nation has robust semiconductor, electrical and electronics meeting manufacturing, and that is actually work on ‘the physique’. Proper now, additionally they want to begin constructing ‘the mind’, so as to construct the clever machines and platforms which might be software program outlined, as a result of the {hardware} is more and more mature and secure,” says Raj Jain, head of analysis and improvement for Asia-Pacific at BlackBerry, throughout a latest interview with The Edge.
“The entire structure is now going in direction of software program structure and software program defining programs. With a view to have full system integration, you should know each components of the physique and the mind.”
The partnership with UKM integrates the QNX In all places programme and QNX foundational working system into the college’s curriculum. This programme is geared toward equipping UKM’s laptop science and engineering college students with the data and abilities required to design and develop software program for purposes in superior manufacturing, semiconductors, robotics and different linked, safety-critical industries.
BlackBerry’s Raj: All the pieces turns into free entry for non-commercial use [because] we wish to construct the expertise pipeline, the subsequent technology of embedded builders for our ecosystem (Photograph by Shahrin Yahya/The Edge)
QNX is a unit of BlackBerry that gives the inspiration that software-defined and bodily synthetic intelligence (AI) programs depend upon to function safely and predictably in the true world. QNX expertise underpins 275 million autos on the street, in addition to a variety of mission-critical programs in industrial controls, robotics, medical units, business transport, rail, aerospace and defence.
UKM college students will obtain free entry to the QNX Software program Growth Platform 8.0 underneath the programme and study to design and develop mission-critical and different software program on prime of the platform.
In response to Raj, who can be vice-president of QNX engineering at BlackBerry, Malaysia’s nationwide coverage — from its present digital adoption to changing into extra of a producer of AI-driven, high-value industries by 2030 — requires a big shift from infrastructure improvement to financial worth creation.
“The important thing a part of the technique for Malaysia is round digital sovereignty. So, the development from Business 4.0 to Business 5.0 aligns with BlackBerry’s imaginative and prescient of shifting from a human-centric to a machine-integration bodily AI world. Malaysia could be very effectively positioned now to have the ability to execute that technique,” he says.
Apart from coaching laptop science and engineering college students to design, develop and combine software program primarily based on the QNX platform, BlackBerry can be opening up the platform totally free for academia and non-commercial use. By way of the QNX In all places initiative, it ensures that everybody has friction-free entry to industry-grade, real-time working programs for non-commercial use.
“The great thing about this programme is that we’re giving the identical software program which we give to {industry}, the identical coaching materials which we give to {industry}, the identical instruments and related software program which we give for business use. All the pieces turns into free entry for non-commercial use [because] we wish to construct the expertise pipeline, the subsequent technology of embedded builders for our ecosystem,” says Raj.
BlackBerry works with 24 of the world’s prime 25 electrical automobile unique tools producers (OEMs), in addition to 9 of the highest 10 medical machine firms. Along with automotive purposes, the QNX foundational software program can be related to medical units, nuclear reactors, aerospace and different industrial purposes that require mission-critical software program.
For MCE’s Goh, expertise improvement should be matched by alternatives within the {industry}. Simply as Malaysia has targeted on deepening localisation in manufacturing, it should additionally strengthen native capabilities in software program improvement, engineering and product design, he stresses.
“In the end, the chance just isn’t the platform itself, however what Malaysian firms can construct on prime of it. Expertise, expertise and platforms are vital enablers, however long-term success would require continued funding by {industry}, supportive authorities insurance policies and a robust ecosystem that may translate these benefits into actual merchandise, native capabilities and globally aggressive companies,” he says.
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