BlackBerry’s efforts to push into self-driving cars took a new step forward as the former smartphone maker signed a deal with Chinese Internet giant Baidu to work together on automotive software.

Baidu will bundle BlackBerry’s QNX vehicle operating system into its Apollo self-driving car platform, a set of tools that car makers can use when designing autonomous vehicles. The partnership also includes integrating BlackBerry’s more established in-car entertainment software into Apollo.

BlackBerry’s QNX unit has long been a leader in building systems to run entertainment and mapping programs in cars. Now, the Waterloo, Ontario-based company is trying to transform that expertise into building operating systems that can run much more complex and demanding driverless car software, an enormous emerging market.

BlackBerry shares rose as much as 7.8% to US$12.96 in New York trading Wednesday. They have gained about 86% in the past 12 months.

Baidu, China’s largest search engine provider, has been building the Apollo system and signing up dozens of partners around the world in a bid to eventually become a dominant automotive software company. In September, the Beijing-based company announced a $1.5bn fund to invest in self-driving car projects over the next three years. — Reported by Gerrit De Vynck, (c) 2017 Bloomberg LP