The Car Connectivity Consortium® (CCC), the trusted source for defining how vehicles interact with devices and the world to enhance the consumer experience through standardized, secure and convenient connectivity solutions, today opened CCC Plugfest #19, hosted by Geely Holding Group, taking place September 7–10, 2026, in Ningbo, China. The four-day interoperability event brings together CCC members from across the automotive, mobile, and technology industries to advance testing and validation of CCC Digital Key™ Version 3 and Version 4 implementations.

CCC Plugfests provide a collaborative environment for member companies to test their digital key implementations against one another, identify and troubleshoot interoperability issues, and contribute to ongoing improvements in CCC technical specifications, test tools, and certification processes. By validating implementations before products reach the market, Plugfests help strengthen interoperability across the connected vehicle ecosystem.

Digital Key Growth in APAC

China has emerged as a key market for digital key technologies. According to ResearchInChina’s Automotive Digital Key Industry Trend Report 2026, digital keys were installed in 13.3 million passenger vehicles in China in 2025, representing a 58.1% installation rate, with market penetration expected to exceed 60% in 2026. As more digital key solutions reach the market, interoperability across vehicles, mobile devices, and platforms becomes increasingly important to delivering secure, interoperable digital key experiences.

Recent CCC Digital Key™ certifications further reflect the rapid expansion of the region’s digital key ecosystem. Earlier this year, CCC announced the first CCC Digital Key™ certified vehicles from China, including certifications for Ingeek, NIO, XPENG, and Geely Holding Group (Volvo, Polestar, ZEEKR, Lynk & Co., smart, and Lotus). Mahindra & Mahindra in India and Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea also achieved certification, extending adoption across the broader Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. CCC Plugfests support this progress by enabling members to validate implementations, resolve interoperability challenges and strengthen future certification efforts.

“The Asia-Pacific region has always played an important role in shaping the future of digital key technology,” said Alysia Johnson, President of the Car Connectivity Consortium. “As digital key adoption grows, a common global standard is essential to ensuring interoperability across vehicles and devices. CCC Plugfests bring members together to validate implementations and advance interoperability, helping deliver secure and seamless digital key experiences for consumers globally. We’re grateful to Geely Holding Group for hosting Plugfest #19 in China and supporting this important work.”

Strengthening Digital Key Interoperability

On the first day of Plugfest #19, Dr. Jörg Brakensiek, CCC Certification Architect, will lead dedicated certification programming, including Q&A and one-on-one sessions designed to provide members with direct guidance on CCC Digital Key™ testing and certification.

“A digital key implementation doesn’t operate in isolation; it needs to work seamlessly across vehicles and devices,” said Dr. Brakensiek. “Plugfest gives members a unique opportunity to test interoperability firsthand, address technical questions and gain valuable guidance as they work toward certification.”

Following the certification programming, participating members will test CCC Digital Key™ Version 3 and Version 4 implementations across a range of real-world scenarios, including Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE), Near Field Communications (NFC), remote keyless entry and passive entry. Testing will also include Bluetooth® LE sniffing capabilities, updated NFC test cases and China-specific interoperability scenarios, including cross-platform key sharing using relay servers. Results from Plugfest #19 will help improve CCC Digital Key™ technical specifications, test documentation, and validation tools.

The event also provides opportunities for Bluetooth® LE and UWB test equipment providers to demonstrate technologies that support product development and future CCC Digital Key™ certification testing. Authorized End-to-End Interoperability laboratories will participate in selected sessions using authorized IDL devices and the Comprion test tool to further validate published CCC test cases.

Participating member companies include Apple, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, COMPRION GmbH, DEKRA, Ellisys, Geely Holding Group, GosuncnWelink Technology Co., LTD, Leapmotor Technology Co., Ltd., and Volkswagen Group (China) Technology Company Limited, representing a range of organizations across the digital key ecosystem.

For more information about CCC and its initiatives, visit www.carconnectivity.org.

About the Car Connectivity Consortium:

The Car Connectivity Consortium® (CCC) is a cross-industry organization dedicated to defining how vehicles interact with devices and the world to create a more seamless and secure consumer experience. CCC standardizes the connected ecosystem around vehicles and devices, bringing together automakers, device manufacturers, automotive suppliers, chip vendors, and security providers to develop solutions that prioritize convenience, security, and privacy protections. With more than 300 member companies, CCC plays a leading role in advancing smartphone-to-vehicle connectivity and shaping the future of trusted digital vehicle access. Its Board of Directors includes representatives from Apple, BMW, CARIAD, DENSO, Ford, General Motors, Google, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, NXP, Panasonic Automotive Systems, Samsung, Thales, and Xiaomi. For more information, visit www.carconnectivity.org.

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