The Palo Alto event brings together automakers, device makers, labs, and test tool vendors to advance CCC Digital Key™ Version 4 interoperability, evaluate updated NFC test cases, and continue Bluetooth® LE and UWB validation

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), the trusted source for defining how vehicles interact with devices and the world through standardized, secure, and convenient connectivity solutions, today kicked off its sixteenth end-to-end interoperability Plugfest, held January 12-16 and hosted by Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies, LLC (RV Tech) at the company’s Palo Alto facility.

The event convenes leading automotive and technology companies for real-world interoperability testing of CCC Digital Key™, the global standard for secure, smart device-based vehicle access. Participating companies include: Accenture LLP, Apple, AUMOVIO, BMW Group, DEKRA Testing and Certification, Ellisys, General Motors, Google, Hyundai Motor Company, Marquardt GmbH, Mercedes-Benz AG, Motorola Mobility LLC, Rivian Automotive, and Volkswagen Group of America.

This Plugfest continues CCC’s effort to strengthen CCC Digital Key™ Version 4 (v4) interoperability and certification readiness. Throughout the week, members will evaluate v4 implementations across both Version 3 (v3) and v4 devices, generating insights that will help identify potential Interoperability Device List (IDL) end-user devices, which serve as trusted reference devices for validating conformance and interoperability.

“As demand for secure and seamless vehicle access accelerates across the vehicle and mobile industries, events like Plugfest #16 are essential to ensuring CCC Digital Key™ continues to meet the needs of our global membership,” said Alysia Johnson, President of CCC. “We’re also grateful to Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies for hosting this week’s event here in Silicon Valley, where hands-on collaboration helps advance the next phase of interoperability.”

This week’s event also reflects the industry’s accelerating focus on secure, seamless vehicle access. According to CCC’s 2025 Future of Vehicle Connectivity Report, 97% of its member companies rated vehicle access as extremely or very important to their business – a signal of the growing demand for consistent and interoperable digital key experiences across vehicles and devices.

Plugfest #16 testing activities include:

• CCC Digital Key™ v4 interoperability testing: Cross-version evaluations of v4 and v3 implementations to assess real-world compatibility and identify IDL candidate devices.
• Bluetooth® LE sniffing validation: Structured full-day sessions to analyze communication behavior, resolve remaining test case issues, and support future certification needs.
• Updated Near Field Communication (NFC) scenarios: Testing refined NFC use cases based on findings from recent Plugfests, alongside passive entry and remote keyless entry test cases.
• Ultra-wideband (UWB) tool evaluations: Vendor demonstrations showing how UWB equipment can support member development and future certification processes.
• Authorized laboratory participation: CCC-authorized end-to-end laboratories – including DEKRA, one of the first North American labs to earn Authorized Test Lab (ATL) status – are executing published test cases with IDL devices and CCC-approved tools.

“Plugfest #16 allows members to validate CCC Digital Key™ v4 in real-world conditions,” said Ganesh Venkatesan, Technical Director for CCC. “Bluetooth® LE sniffing, updated NFC evaluations, UWB tool testing, and lab-led checks all help refine implementations and move the ecosystem closer to certification readiness.”

CCC Plugfests provide member companies with a structured environment to validate interoperability, identify implementation issues early, and contribute to the refinement of technical specifications, test documents, and tools.

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

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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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The event convenes leading automotive and technology companies for real-world interoperability testing of CCC Digital Key™, the global standard for secure, smart device-based vehicle access