Google Hands P3 Certification Authority for Android Auto Projection Systems

Google is widening the circle of outside labs trusted to sign off on its in-car software, naming Stuttgart-based consultancy P3 as an accredited third-party laboratory (3PL) for Android Auto Projection (AAP). The approval places P3 among the first facilities cleared to certify phone-mirroring systems on Google’s behalf under AAP 2.0, the company’s refreshed certification framework.

The appointment builds on P3’s earlier accreditation, granted in October 2024, to certify infotainment platforms running on Android Automotive OS. Together, the two credentials cover both of Google’s routes into the vehicle cabin. Android Auto Projection mirrors apps from a connected smartphone onto the car’s display, while Android Automotive OS runs directly on the vehicle’s own hardware without needing a handset present.

For automakers and their suppliers, clearing certification is not optional. Google mandates that OEMs and component providers pass third-party lab checks before any system reaches the market, effectively making accredited labs a gatekeeper for launch schedules. P3 contends that the AAP 2.0 programme should streamline that process, shortening approval timelines while trimming the development and deployment costs that automakers absorb along the way.

Marius Mailat, P3’s Chief Technology Officer, framed the expanded role as a significant step for the firm. In his statement, he noted that consumers now expect increasingly rich in-vehicle experiences with constant connectivity, and that carmakers and their specialist partners are answering with new approaches to Android Auto Projection. He described the accreditation as a privilege that lets P3 support Google and the wider automotive industry, helping OEMs bring competitive AAP systems to an expectant global market and ensuring drivers receive high-quality Android Auto features and user experiences.

The arrangement reflects a broader pattern in the software-defined vehicle era, where platform owners lean on independent testing organisations to shoulder certification workloads as in-car software grows more complex. By extending its accreditation beyond native Android Automotive OS builds to phone-based projection, P3 now sits astride both of Google’s automotive software channels, positioning itself as a single point of contact for suppliers navigating either pathway to compliance.