Motorola Announces Collaboration with QNX, IBM and Embedded Planet
14 September 1999
Motorola Announces Collaboration with QNX, IBM and Embedded Planet To Create Smarter Cars
World's Leading Producer of Embedded Semiconductor Solutions
Teams Up to Unveil MobileGT(TM) Architecture
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 14 -- Motorola announced today a
relationship with QNX Software Systems Ltd., IBM, and Embedded Planet
(formerly RPCG) to develop MobileGT Architecture, initially targeted for
automotive driver information systems.
MobileGT is an open, Java-centric architecture that can allow automobile
manufacturers to easily and cost-effectively develop advanced driver
information systems to fit their specific platforms.
MobileGT's flexible, modular computing platform is scaleable across a wide
range of products, allowing automobile manufacturers to leverage a common
development approach while providing product differentiation through tailored
and system integration.
MobileGT can address a wide array of in-vehicle applications -- dynamic
navigation, wireless connectivity and Internet access, natural language speech
processing, car audio, virtual dashboards, multimedia and more. MobileGT
takes advantage of QNX Neutrino's hard real-time capabilities to provide a
deterministic system foundation while being POSIX API compliant. A virtual
machine (VM) optimized, for embedded systems, provides for application
portability among devices, while maintaining a compact and highly flexible
package that can be adapted to new and innovative designs.
"Our objective is to enable a comprehensive business solution that meets
the specific needs of the automotive industry," said Paul Grimme, vice
president, Transportation Systems Group, at Motorola. "Motorola is taking a
leadership position by delivering an optimized software and hardware platform
that incorporates the best-of-breed technology partners."
Grimme continues, "In addition, a standard, open platform for automotive
computing will enable ISVs to shorten the time-to-market of new applications.
We believe by working with IBM and QNX, utilizing their total solutions
approach to automotive computing, Motorola and MobileGT will be catalysts for
this emerging automotive systems industry."
Enabling Cost-Effective Solutions
Total system economics must be considered when implementing complex driver
information systems. MobileGT takes into account all aspects of system costs,
including development time, software licensing and support, microcontroller
performance requirements, cost-effective memory systems, and the availability
of third party software applications.
QNX provides a comprehensive software platform that includes its
award-winning Photon microGUI, an embedded graphical user interface that uses
a small fraction of the memory. Conventional operating systems consume at
least several megabytes of memory simply to provide the kind of OS and GUI
services required by MobileGT applications.
"The business objective is to enable the development of driver information
systems for less than 3% of the MSRP of a vehicle," said Dan Dodge, CTO at
QNX Software Systems. "By focusing on that critical price point, we believe
MobileGT will be the catalyst for accelerated adoption of automotive
manufacturers and the driving consumer. When you consider the large
production volumes in the auto industry, QNX's tiny footprint can save a
manufacturer literally millions of dollars in memory hardware alone. That
translates directly into real profits on the bottom line."
MobileGT also incorporates IBM's VisualAge for Embedded Systems, Java(TM)
Technology Edition virtual machine and development tools optimized for use
with QNX Neutrino. This proven execution environment supports
configuration-based deployment of applications, giving the developers the
ability to build ultra-compact runtime components.
Embedded Planet's PowerPC-based single-board computer family of products
enables systems integrators to minimize their initial design and development
investment. Getting products up and running requires a flexible and
expandable computing platform for development. The RPX series of boards
provides a production intent platform for the Motorola embedded series of
8xx PowerPC(TM) processors. These boards function as a development system to
build software solutions, then as prototypes to ensure working products.
Embedded Planet's single board computers act as both development and
production target, reducing development time, cost and complexity.
Time-to-Market With Choices and Flexibility
MobileGT provides a hybrid run-time environment supporting both native and
Java applications. This approach supports the flexibility and scalability
required to integrate multiple software applications into a single
environment.
QNX offers a ready-to-customize information appliance suite, including an
embedded web browser, email client, and Personal Information Manager (PIM).
The QNX applications are fully customizable, allowing each auto manufacturer
to create a unique look and feel for their MobileGT devices.
"A Java-centric platform approach provides Motorola with choices and
flexibility to offer our customers a wide range of system solutions based on a
common architecture," states Tim VanGoethem, director of platform strategy in
Motorola's Telematics Communications Group. "The MobileGT platform provides
an excellent tool for developers to create value-added content in an open
framework quickly and effectively."
Hardware flexibility is supported by Embedded Planet's interface bus
architecture that enables various enhancements through optional hardware
modules. Embedded Planet supplies a platform support package to facilitate
MobileGT design, development and system debugging. The comprehensive
development platform consists of the RPX-Lite board and I/O module with an
LCD display, touchscreen panel and the necessary software drivers to integrate
the QNX Neutrino OS and the IBM VisualAge virtual machine for Java, along with
sample applications.
"Until now, anyone wanting to develop a new in-car system would typically
have to design everything -- both hardware and software -- from scratch," said
Skip McGaughey, director of sales and marketing, embedded tools group at IBM.
"Thanks to MobileGT, developers don't have to reinvent the wheel; they can
focus on their intellectual content instead. Better yet, they can apply the
productivity benefits of the Java technology and components to the virtually
untapped in-car computing market."
'One-Stop' Shopping
MobileGT offers ISVs, systems integrators and vehicle manufacturers an
integrated software-hardware platform for creating in-vehicle applications.
Motorola is reducing the complexity of licensing multiple software
applications from third party ISVs with a bundled approach. The bundled
approach streamlines the buying process by reducing the multiplicity of
contracts.
For pricing and availability of the MobileGT Platform Development
Environment, contact Motorola Transportation Systems Group or visit our
website at http://www.mot-sps.com/automotive/MobileGT.html
About Motorola
As the world's #1 producer of embedded processors, Motorola's
Semiconductor Products Sector offers multiple DigitalDNA(TM) solutions which
enable its customers in the consumer, networking and computing,
transportation, and wireless communications markets, to create new business
opportunities. Motorola's worldwide semiconductor sales were $7.3 billion
(USD) in l998.
Motorola is a global leader in advanced electronic systems and
services. It liberates the power of technology by creating software-enhanced
products that provide integrated customer solutions and Internet access via
wireless and satellite communications, as well as computing, networking, and
automotive electronics. Motorola also provides essential digital building
blocks in the form of embedded semiconductors, controls and systems. Global
sales in 1998 were $29.4 billion (USD). Visit http://www.motorola.com/sps
About QNX Software Systems
Founded in 1980, QNX Software Systems is the industry leader in real-time,
microkernel OS technology. The company has established a strong customer base
in a variety of industries, including consumer electronics,
telecommunications, transportation, medical instrumentation, process control,
point-of-sale, and telephony. QNX products are distributed in over
100 countries worldwide. Visit http://www.qnx.com/
About Embedded Planet
Embedded Planet is a leader in providing development systems and solutions
based on the Embedded PowerPC processors. The company is committed to
changing the way embedded devices are created and helping developers bring
products to market that can change the world. Visit
http://www.embeddedplanet.com/ for more information.
MobileGT and DigitalDNA are trademarks of Motorola. QNX, Neutrino, and
Photon microGUI are registered trademarks of QNX Software Systems Ltd. Java
and all Java-based marks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. IBM and
VisualAge are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the
United States and other countries. PowerPC is a trademark of International
Business Machines Corporation, used under license therefrom. All other
tradenames, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. References in this publication to IBM products or services
do not imply that IBM intends to make them available outside the United
States.