OTTAWA – A Canadian software company is integrating its programs into the semi-autonomous-driving technology developed by China-based corporation WeRide, saying it is serving to boost its adaptability, autonomy and reliability.
Ottawa-based QNX, a division of Canadian tech company BlackBerry, is powering WeRide’s advanced driver assistance system “ADAS WePilot,” designed for L2-plus-plus passenger vehicles, as per the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE classification).
The L2-plus-plus designation is a key step toward delivering L3 capabilities, where a vehicle’s ADAS assumes full responsibility for driving in defined scenarios, William Dong, country manager of Greater China at QNX, tells WardsAuto. “While still classified as Level 2 within the SAE system, L2-plus-plus systems incorporate more advanced perception, decision-making and control capabilities, enabling hands-free driving in a wider range of more complex scenarios, like lane changes, merging or navigating traffic jams,” he says.
“Unlike L3, the driver must remain ready to take over at any time, but the system can handle more of the driving task for longer periods,” he says of L2-plus-plus systems. Their usage allows automakers to mature the technology, gather data and build consumer confidence, “without the vast amounts of regulatory and liability complexities that come with full L3 deployment,” Dong contends.
QNX's safety operating system software, dubbed “OS for Safety,” also is being employed for WeRide's ADAS, providing a “reliable, safe and secure foundation” in that it helps balance defensive driving, agile lane-changing and 360-degree obstacle avoidance capabilities, while achieving navigation-assisted driving “anytime, anywhere and (in) any weather conditions," QNX says.
The QNX-integrated WeRide system is compatible with map-free technology solutions, aided by multi-modality sensors and a full-stack deep learning algorithm. The system is backed by industrial certifications such as the International Organization for Standardization/USA Society of Automotive Engineers ISO/SAE 21434, ISO 26262 and ASPICE CL2 (Automotive Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination).
Hua Zhong, senior vice president of engineering at WeRide, says his firm’s collaboration with QNX is “crucial to this mission,” as in integrating QNX’s foundational software, not only are driver assistance systems being improved, but also the partnership is “taking a crucial step towards realizing a world where autonomous vehicles are a cornerstone of smart cities, contributing to reduced traffic congestion, lower emissions and improved road safety.”
WeRide had a previously announced collaboration with QNX software, and German mega supplier Bosch, for the ADAS in the Chery EXCEED Sterra ES and ET models.
QNX already is a voluminous supplier of software to auto companies, with customers being a who’s who of automakers and suppliers including BMW, Bosch, Continental, Dongfeng Motor, Geely, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo and more. QNX software is credited for helping them bring to market ADAS, digital cockpits, infotainment systems and domain controllers.
QNX's Dong tells WardsAuto that his company’s software and systems enhance both vehicle performance and the in-car experience by delivering “safety, reliability and real-time responsiveness,” with high system stability and fast boot times, aiding automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance. QNX also says its software helps integrate sensor data, promoting smooth driving, delivering “quieter cabins, faster infotainment and more intuitive, responsive assistance features.”
Accurate object recognition, trajectory prediction and adaptive control that aid predictive lane changes and curve-aware speed modulation can help semi-autonomous vehicles outperform those operated by humans, say ADAS advocates.
“Sensors scan around the vehicle many times a second, and the sensors and software do not get intoxicated or distracted,” Barrie Kirk, president of the Canadian Automated Vehicle Initiative (CAVI), says of how such innovations will deliver major benefits, including improved safety over human-driven vehicles.
He says the potential for increasing the number of commercial trucks on the road through autonomous technology is especially important for Canada, given its government’s aim to boost interprovincial trade following the imposition of export tariffs to the U.S. by the Trump Admin. “There is a broad consensus that Canada needs to increase interprovincial trade to offset the impact of tariffs. However, 90% of interprovincial trade moves by truck and there is a shortage of long-distance truck drivers: currently 25,600 and estimated to be 30,000 by 2030,” Kirk says.
As a result, CAVI is calling on the federal government to launch a Trans-Canada Autonomous Truck Demonstration Project, with a driverless tractor-trailer being able to drive itself from Halifax to Vancouver by 2028, using quality navigational and operational software such as that being developed by QNX.
In its first-quarter results for 2025, BlackBerry notes how WeRide’s launch of its next-generation ADAS platform for L2-plus-plus autonomous drive, built upon QNX OS for Safety, was a “strategic highlight” for the Canadian company.
In forthcoming business news, BlackBerry says Chinese BEV manufacturer Leapmotor, a startup headquartered in Hangzhou, has selected QNX technology “as the foundation of its intelligent digital cockpit and autonomous drive domain controllers in its new B10 electric SUV.”
These Chinese deals have been helping boost QNX revenue and its outlook, with its first-quarter revenue expanding 8% year-on-year to $57.5 million (C$78.9 million). It is also projecting $250 million to $270 million (C$343 million to C$374 million) in revenue for its fiscal year ending Feb. 28, 2026.
Dong says such advanced ADAS software is becoming a critical competitive component for OEMs. “Delivering compelling convenience and intelligent features to drivers has quickly become the new battleground where OEMs can differentiate themselves from one another,” he says.
In many markets, particularly China, he contends that “advanced driver assistance capabilities like automated parking, highway pilot and traffic jam assist “are no longer just premium add-ons. They’re central to how consumers evaluate value, safety and innovation.”
