Apple hires BlackBerry's Dan Dodge for self-drive car software: report

Bob Mansfield, who was brought out of retirement by Apple to head Project Titan, the code name for the company's car development initiative has hired Dan Dodge, a former executive at BlackBerry, Bloomberg reported. (See: Bob Mansfield takes charge of Apple's self-driving car project: report) According to Bloomberg the move reveals that Apple was focused more on building self-driving software, rather than a car. Dodge founded QNX, a company whose specialty was embedded operating systems - particularly in vehicles. BlackBerry acquired QNX in 2010. Dodge was also the CEO of the company.

The QNX operating system was also the foundation for the BlackBerry 10 OS and the company also made in-car entertainment and navigation software used by various automakers including Daimler, Ford and Volkswagen.

Bloomberg cited a source familiar with the situation as saying that the shift did not mean Apple was abandoning its car development plans, and could get back to it later.

Mansfield had changed the strategy for Project Titan, which would now focus on autonomous driving system.

With the shift it would be easy for the company to partner with an established car maker instead of making its own car, should it choose to do so at a later stage.