Geely Hosts CCC Plugfest #19 as Digital Key Adoption Expands Across Asia-Pacific
The automotive industry is moving steadily toward a future in which smartphones and other connected devices can replace traditional vehicle keys. As automakers, technology companies and mobile-device manufacturers accelerate the development of digital access systems, ensuring that these technologies work reliably across different vehicles and devices has become increasingly important.
Against this backdrop, the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) has opened its latest interoperability testing event, CCC Plugfest #19. Hosted by Geely Holding Group, the four-day event is being held from September 7 to 10, 2026, in Ningbo, China. The gathering brings together companies from the automotive, mobile communications and technology sectors to test and validate implementations of CCC Digital Key Version 3 and Version 4.
The event represents another step toward creating a more consistent and secure digital key ecosystem, particularly as adoption continues to grow throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Testing the Future of Vehicle Access
Digital key technology allows consumers to use compatible smartphones and other smart devices to access and operate vehicles. Instead of carrying a conventional physical key fob, users can potentially rely on a digital credential stored on their mobile device.
However, developing the technology is only one part of the challenge. A digital key must be capable of communicating securely and reliably between different devices, vehicle systems and platforms. If products from different manufacturers cannot work together, consumers may face limitations when changing vehicles, switching devices or sharing access with other users.
CCC Plugfests are designed to address this challenge.
These events provide CCC member companies with a collaborative environment where they can test their digital key implementations against products and systems developed by other participating organizations. Engineers can identify interoperability problems, investigate technical issues and work together to resolve challenges before technologies are introduced to consumers.
The testing process can also contribute to improvements in technical specifications, testing documentation, validation tools and certification procedures.
By finding potential problems during development rather than after commercial products are launched, Plugfests can help companies reduce compatibility risks and strengthen the overall connected-vehicle ecosystem.
Asia-Pacific Becomes a Major Digital Key Market
The timing of Plugfest #19 is particularly significant because digital key adoption is expanding rapidly across Asia-Pacific.
China has emerged as one of the most important markets for automotive digital key technology. According to ResearchInChina’s Automotive Digital Key Industry Trend Report 2026, digital keys were installed in approximately 13.3 million passenger vehicles in China during 2025.
That represented an installation rate of about 58.1 percent. Market penetration is expected to move beyond 60 percent during 2026, highlighting the speed at which digital access technologies are being incorporated into new vehicles.
As installation rates increase, interoperability becomes more than a technical consideration. It becomes an important part of the consumer experience.
A driver may use a smartphone from one manufacturer, a vehicle produced by another company and digital services supported by additional technology providers. For the system to operate smoothly, all of these components must communicate according to compatible standards.
This is where standardized technologies such as CCC Digital Key can play an important role.
Chinese Automakers Expand CCC Digital Key Participation
The expansion of CCC Digital Key certification among Chinese automakers and technology companies is another indication of the growing importance of the technology in the region.
Earlier in 2026, the Car Connectivity Consortium announced its first CCC Digital Key-certified vehicles from China. The certifications included products and vehicles associated with companies such as Ingeek, NIO, XPENG and Geely Holding Group.
Geely’s involvement extends across several brands within its broader automotive portfolio, including Volvo, Polestar, ZEEKR, Lynk & Co., smart and Lotus.
The certification activity is not limited to China. Companies elsewhere in Asia-Pacific have also been advancing their digital key programs. Mahindra & Mahindra in India and Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea have achieved CCC Digital Key certification, demonstrating broader regional participation.
With more manufacturers adopting standardized digital key technology, interoperability testing is becoming increasingly important. Plugfest events give companies an opportunity to evaluate their implementations alongside other products and identify potential compatibility issues before seeking or expanding certification.
Certification Guidance at Plugfest #19
The opening day of Plugfest #19 includes dedicated certification programming led by Dr. Jörg Brakensiek, CCC Certification Architect.
The program includes question-and-answer sessions as well as individual meetings between members and certification experts. These sessions are intended to give participating organizations more direct guidance on CCC Digital Key testing and certification requirements.
For companies developing digital key systems, certification can be an important part of demonstrating that their products comply with established technical requirements.
Direct interaction with certification specialists can also help engineering teams understand testing expectations and address questions that may otherwise slow down development.
According to the CCC, the goal is not simply to test products independently but to create opportunities for companies to evaluate how their implementations behave when interacting with other systems.
That approach is particularly important for digital keys because the technology does not operate in isolation.
A digital credential stored on a smartphone must ultimately interact with a vehicle’s electronic systems and communication technologies. A successful consumer experience therefore depends on multiple technologies working together reliably.
Testing Multiple Communication Technologies
During Plugfest #19, participating organizations are testing CCC Digital Key Version 3 and Version 4 implementations across a variety of real-world use cases.
The testing includes Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication, remote keyless entry and passive entry scenarios.
Each communication method can serve a different purpose within a digital vehicle access system. Bluetooth Low Energy can support communication between a mobile device and vehicle, while NFC can provide another mechanism for authentication and interaction.
Remote keyless entry and passive entry scenarios represent additional real-world situations in which users expect digital access technology to operate smoothly.
Testing these different scenarios allows participating companies to identify weaknesses that might not become apparent through isolated laboratory testing.
The event also includes Bluetooth Low Energy sniffing capabilities and updated NFC test cases. These activities are intended to provide additional technical insight into the behavior and performance of digital key implementations.
China-Specific Interoperability Scenarios
One of the notable elements of Plugfest #19 is the inclusion of interoperability scenarios specifically relevant to the Chinese market.
Among these is cross-platform key sharing using relay servers.
Digital key sharing is an increasingly important part of the connected-car experience. Vehicle owners may want to provide temporary or permanent access to family members, friends, employees or other authorized users without physically handing over a traditional key.
Testing cross-platform sharing is therefore essential as digital keys become more widespread.
The China-specific scenarios at the Ningbo event provide participating companies with an opportunity to examine how different systems perform within market-specific technology environments.
The results can also provide useful feedback for future specifications, test cases and validation procedures.
Role of Testing Equipment and Laboratories
Plugfest #19 is not limited to automakers and mobile technology companies. Equipment providers and interoperability laboratories are also participating in selected activities.
Bluetooth Low Energy and ultra-wideband, or UWB, test equipment providers have opportunities to demonstrate technologies that can support digital key product development and future certification testing.
Testing equipment is an important part of the development process because engineers need reliable ways to measure and analyze how devices communicate with vehicles.
Authorized End-to-End Interoperability laboratories will also participate in selected sessions. These laboratories will use authorized devices and the Comprion test tool to further validate published CCC test cases.
Such testing helps create greater confidence that certification procedures accurately reflect real-world interoperability requirements.
Collaboration Across the Automotive Technology Ecosystem
The list of companies participating in Plugfest #19 demonstrates the increasingly broad nature of the digital key ecosystem.
Participants include Apple, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, COMPRION GmbH, DEKRA, Ellisys, Geely Holding Group, GosuncnWelink Technology, Leapmotor Technology and Volkswagen Group China Technology Company Limited.
The mix of participants represents several parts of the technology chain, including vehicle manufacturers, mobile technology companies, testing organizations, certification specialists, communications experts and equipment providers.
Bringing these organizations together can help create a more coordinated approach to interoperability.
Rather than individual companies developing isolated solutions, standardized testing gives the industry an opportunity to identify common problems and develop solutions that can benefit multiple participants.
Building Consumer Confidence
For consumers, the ultimate benefit of digital key standardization is convenience combined with security.
A successful digital key system should make vehicle access simpler without creating uncertainty about compatibility or reliability. Consumers should be able to expect their authorized device to communicate with their vehicle in a predictable way.
Security is equally important. Because a digital key effectively represents access to a vehicle, authentication, authorization and secure communication are fundamental requirements.
Standardized testing and certification can help manufacturers and technology providers demonstrate that their implementations meet established requirements.
As more vehicles adopt digital keys, consumer expectations are also likely to increase. Drivers may eventually expect features such as remote sharing, device-based authentication and seamless access to work across a wide range of products.
The opening of CCC Plugfest #19 comes at an important stage in the evolution of connected-vehicle technology.
China’s rapidly expanding digital key market, combined with growing adoption across India, South Korea and other Asia-Pacific markets, creates strong demand for technologies that can operate across different automotive and mobile ecosystems.
Geely Holding Group’s decision to host the event in Ningbo also highlights the growing importance of China within the global digital key industry.
The work carried out during the four-day Plugfest is expected to provide practical feedback that can contribute to future CCC Digital Key specifications, technical documentation, testing tools and certification processes.
As automakers increasingly replace traditional vehicle access systems with smartphone-based alternatives, interoperability will remain a critical requirement.
CCC Plugfest #19 therefore represents more than a technical testing event. It is part of a broader industry effort to establish a secure, standardized and interoperable foundation for the next generation of vehicle access.
With digital keys moving rapidly from emerging technology toward mainstream automotive functionality, collaboration between automakers, mobile companies, technology providers and testing organizations will be essential.
The continued development of common standards could ultimately help create a connected-car environment in which consumers can use digital keys more conveniently and confidently, regardless of the combination of vehicle, device and technology platform they choose.
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