In the in-vehicle connectivity certification industry, the most frequently asked question is about HiCar certification procedures and actual lead time.
The total cycle varies drastically: mature lightweight aftermarket products can obtain certificates in 5 to 6 weeks, while full OEM vehicle projects may take nearly one year. Choosing the wrong test channel will result in wasted time and budget.
Many newcomers confuse HiCar certification with conventional EMC or safety certification. It is essentially an ecosystem access authorization managed by Huawei, rather than a standard type approval. Only certified products can activate HiCar functions and gain official authorization from Huawei. Uncertified devices cannot establish HiCar connections with Huawei smartphones, even with fully developed functions. Its authorization mechanism is similar to Apple CarPlay MFi certification.
Main assessment contents: Functional compatibility, connection stability and user experience between vehicle systems and Huawei smartphones. In 2026, data security compliance is further emphasized, including encrypted data transmission, privacy permission control and non-essential data collection prohibition.
Tests are executed by Huawei’s designated third-party authorized laboratories, while certificates are issued directly by Huawei. All certificates are valid for 1 year and require annual renewal.
2. Three Major HiCar Certification Channels
Confirm the applicable channel first, as lead time differs greatly:
·Initial Acceptance Testing: For brand-new infotainment platforms, new vehicle models and products with major hardware/software changes (chip replacement, system architecture reconstruction, core function redevelopment). Full test cases must be implemented.
·Equivalent Acceptance Testing: For products with unchanged core hardware & architecture, minor software version updates or scenario adaptation for existing certified platforms. A large number of repeated test items are exempted, cutting the cycle by 30% to 50%. Red line rule: Chip replacement, major system version iteration and core function reconstruction are not eligible for equivalent testing.
·Certificate Renewal: Used for expired certificates (1-year validity). The process is greatly simplified with online document review and no sample delivery required. The whole process takes 4 to 6 weeks.
3. Six Complete Steps of HiCar Certification
Step 1: Account Registration & Ecosystem Access
Register and complete enterprise real-name authentication on Huawei Developer Alliance. Sign the HiCar Ecosystem Cooperation Memorandum and relevant agreements for qualification review and SDK access permission. The review process takes 7 to 10 working days, longer if supplementary documents are needed. It is advised to finish this step at least two weeks before SDK integration. Download the latest HiCar SDK and official self-test report templates from Huawei DevicePartner Platform after permission approval.
Step 2: SDK Integration & Internal Self-Testing
Integrate the SDK into vehicle systems and complete joint debugging for device discovery, wired/wireless connection, audio & video transmission and data sharing.
·Mature aftermarket solutions with experienced teams: About 1 month for development and self-testing.
·New teams without HiCar experience: 2 to 3 months.
·OEM vehicle projects: 2 to 3 months due to deep integration with vehicle electrical architecture.
Mandatory Rule: 100% pass rate for all official self-test cases. Applications with incomplete self-test results will be rejected directly.
Step 3: Contract Signing & Technical Docking
After obtaining qualified self-test reports, sign testing service agreements with Huawei’s authorized third-party laboratories to confirm testing scope, sample requirements, timeline and costs. This step is synchronized with sample preparation and takes limited extra time. Ensure delivered samples are fully consistent with agreed configuration.
Step 4: Sample Preparation for Testing
Insufficient sample preparation is a common cause of project delays.
·Test Benches: OEM certification requires 3 complete sets of benches; aftermarket products need 1 to 2 sets. All benches must be equipped with complete accessories and run on mass-production firmware (engineering samples and test firmware are not accepted).
·Complete Vehicle (OEM Only): The vehicle must be 100% configured for mass production. Rejection reasons include: temporary license plates valid for less than 90 days or not covering test areas, expired/incomplete insurance, and inconsistent vehicle configuration. The vehicle shall be fully fueled/charged with no abnormal dashboard alerts.
·Aftermarket Products: No complete vehicle is required. Only finished product samples are needed.
Step 5: Laboratory Testing
Tests cover four major dimensions: functional compatibility, connection stability, performance and data security compliance. One round of initial testing takes 2 to 3 weeks; equivalent testing takes 1 to 2 weeks. Each revision and retest adds 1 to 2 weeks. Most projects require at least one round of revision, which is the main factor extending the testing cycle.
Step 6: Huawei Review & Certificate Issuance
Laboratories submit full test reports to Huawei for final review and random inspection of key test items. Standard review takes 2 to 3 weeks. Supplementary document requests will delay the process. Electronic certificates will be issued within one week after approval.
4. Overall Lead Time for Different Products & Channels
·New OEM vehicle / infotainment system (initial testing): 6 to 12 months.
·Aftermarket wireless devices (HiCar dongles, smart car screens): 2.5 months at the earliest, 3 to 4 months normally.
·Aftermarket wired projection devices: 2 to 3 months.
·Equivalent testing: 1 to 2 months for OEM products, 2 to 4 weeks for aftermarket products.
·Certificate renewal: 4 to 6 weeks (online process, no sample delivery).
BlueAsia offers one-stop HiCar certification agency and technical services for OEM and aftermarket clients. We help enterprises pass certification and launch products efficiently. Contact our consultant: 13534225140 (Benson).
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