When BlackBerry acquired QNX, it was primarily with a view to developing a new operating system. That attempt failed miserably, but the company still had a jewel in its hands, since the QNX software had a substantial presence among in-vehicle systems. As it backed away from smartphones, BlackBerry continued to develop and broaden its automotive offerings, and while QNX has powerful competitors – including Google – in the IVI (in-vehicle infotainment) segment, it reportedly has an advanced roadmap towards more complex auto systems, including security software for autonomous driving. The latter makes BlackBerry an attractive acquisition target, according to a report from short-seller Citron Research, which believes a purchase could come with a high premium. The comments sent Blackberry’s shares…