A lot of manufacturers are still running on an old understanding from a few years back. Here is the real 2026 rule, updated: Huawei has dropped the old 1-year and 2-year tiered policy. Whether it is a factory-fit device or an aftermarket accessory, all categories now share a uniform one-year validity.
One easy point of confusion: the previous two-year sample retention for factory-fit projects was just a sample-archiving requirement, unrelated to certificate validity. If you still plan certification on a two-year cycle, your certificate can lapse and directly disrupt supply and listing.
二、Why HiCar sets a validity period
1. Fast ecosystem iteration demands forced updates
The in-vehicle connectivity ecosystem updates frequently; Huawei ships new features, protocols, and security standards every year. If certificates were permanently valid, the market would fill with outdated devices, hurting the ecosystem's reputation. Annual renewal forces products to keep pace.
2. Clean up the threshold, standardize quality
The yearly validity review is effectively an annual official filter of compliant products. Devices that do not maintain or keep up get naturally eliminated, preventing low-quality products from undercutting in the ecosystem. For manufacturers that genuinely iterate, it actually helps protect market share.
三、How renewal actually works
HiCar certificates do not auto-extend — there is no default carry-over at expiry. In practice, you start the renewal about three months ahead. In peak season, bench slots are tight, and last-minute scrambling usually misses the node, creating a compliance gap.
With no hardware change and no architecture change during the period, renewal only spot-checks about half the core items — no full retest — in roughly four to six weeks. The cost is cheaper too, usually only 20–30% of a full certification. But if you changed hardware or the underlying solution during the period, you cannot renew; you must treat it as a full new certification.
四、Is there a grace period?
None. Absolutely none. Once the certificate expires, the compliance qualification lapses immediately. The product can no longer be labeled HiCar-compatible; OEM projects and channel distribution both stall.
After expiry there is no remedial extension channel. You must redo the full certification from scratch — time, cost, and test scope all at new-unit standards. Every year, manufacturers lose entire product lines to missed renewals from poor record tracking. The loss dwarfs the certification fee.
五、When full re-certification is mandatory
Minor firmware tweaks and bug fixes only need a backend record — no retest, no recertification. But hardware platform revision, main-chip replacement, or whole-unit architecture change all disallow renewal and require full new certification.
SDK upgrades also need scenario judgment: a simple remote OTA with no hardware change can use Huawei's simplified change process; a major underlying interface iteration or architecture change needs full retest. Align your certification status early in product planning — do not discover at renewal time that you need a full redo. Very passive.
六、The V6.0.0 annual security audit
Under the V6.0.0 spec, HiCar compliance is no longer "certify once, valid for years." It is now year-round continuous control. All newly accessed products must complete a security penetration test and compliance audit every year — mandatory.
Projects that miss the audit deadline get their certificate suspended, or revoked in serious cases. Legacy V5 products have a transition period; new-version products get no buffer. Make the annual audit a routine task — do not wait for a system warning.
七、Renewal practical advice
Build a complete certificate ledger: register each product's expiry, version status, and project ownership. Set a warning three months ahead and manage it systematically, not from memory. Book test slots early and file off-peak to avoid peak-season congestion.
Keep close watch on SDK version freeze nodes and the security audit cycle, and sync your product iteration rhythm.
BlueAsia coordinates HiCar renewal, security audits, and various RF compliance projects in one place — consolidating schedules, reducing repeated sample submissions, and helping you keep a stable compliance status while avoiding project pitfalls and supply gaps.
Contact: King
Phone/Mob: (+86)13534225140
Email: king.guo@cblueasia.com
Address: Building C, Hongjingda Industrial Park, No. 107 Beihuan Road, Shiyan Street, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China
BlueAsia delivers more than service!
Related News
