DEKRA has recently been listed as MFi Authorized Test Laboratory to of-fer selected CarPlay certification testing, pre-testing and advisory services for vehicle, telecommunications and infotainment system manufacturers, which are licensees of Apple’s MFi program. The MFi Program includes third-party hardware accessories that use Apple’s MFi licensed technology to connect electronically to over 1.5 billion active Apple devices worldwide. It offers a broad range of wireless and wired technologies that can be used in accessories that companies plan to develop or manufacture. DEKRA will provide these services at multiple laboratories in North America, Europe, and Asia.
“The automotive industry is rapidly implementing new connectivity technologies and functionalities into vehicles to improve the driving experience and to increase efficiency, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, accessibility and, most importantly, safety on the road. This is, without a doubt, also a top priority for DEKRA. We are proud to contribute to this by extending our connectivity services portfolio with the recognition of DEKRA as MFi Authorized Test Laboratory”, said Fernando E. Hardasmal, Head of Service Division Product Testing and Executive Vice Presi-dent at DEKRA.
Nowadays most vehicles contain various connectivity technologies that allow connecting personal devices with the telecommunication or infotainment system units of the vehicle. These technologies include from the traditional USB, Blue-tooth, Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), NFC to the most recent one, the 5G.
Some of these technologies and their related functionalities or applications are implemented by leading companies like Apple, whose CarPlay enables users to manage their iPhone apps on the main screen of their vehicles while focusing their attention on the road.
All these technologies need to be evaluated and verified in all in-vehicle devices from functional, connectivity performance and user experience points of view. To do so, an independent third-party laboratory, such as DEKRA, can support manufacturers to evaluate their products and prove they meet the MFi require-ments on top of the traditional safety and regulatory ones.
DEKRA offers an extensive services portfolio for connectivity testing and certifi-cation for the automotive market, as well as cybersecurity, product safety, elec-tromagnetic compatibility and radio frequency testing. Furthermore, also type approval, homologation and certification services, among others, help customers prepare their products to comply with any market requirements.