Kigen has become the first company to achieve GSMA eUICC Security Assurance (eSA) certification for an automotive eSIM supporting SGP.32 v1.3, the latest version of the GSMA’s IoT eSIM technical specification.

The headline is technical. The problem it addresses is not.

Cars live far longer than smartphones. An OEM choosing connectivity architecture today may still be supporting the same vehicle in 2038. During that time, operators change, roaming agreements move, cybersecurity requirements tighten and vehicles enter new markets.

Kigen’s new Automotive eSIM combines its eSIM operating system with Infineon’s TEGRION SLI22 automotive security controller. The aim is to give OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers a security and provisioning layer designed for that long lifecycle.

Why automotive changes the eSIM equation

SGP.32 was built for IoT devices that may have no screen, camera or person available to scan a QR code. Profiles can be provisioned and managed remotely across fleets, which is exactly what connected cars need.

For automakers, the value is bigger than avoiding a physical SIM swap. SGP.32 can separate the vehicle’s connectivity lifecycle from the operator decision made at production. A manufacturer can use common hardware across markets and add or change mobile operators later through software.

READ MORE: Rivian R2 Bets on SGP.32 eSIM to Build a Truly Global Connected Vehicle 

That model is already moving into real vehicles. Giesecke+Devrient is working with Rivian and AT&T on SGP.32-enabled eSIM and 5G connectivity for the Rivian R2. IDEMIA announced a fully GSMA-certified end-to-end SGP.32 IoT solution in 2025.

So Kigen’s “first” needs to be read precisely: this is not the first SGP.32 product or certified SGP.32 stack. It is the first eSA-certified automotive eSIM supporting SGP.32 v1.3.

What v1.3 brings

The eSIM standards themselves have moved. The GSMA published SGP.32 v1.3  in May 2026. Kigen highlights several capabilities relevant to connected cars:

READ MORE: eSIM Standards Explained: How SGP.32 Changes Travel Connectivity 

Emergency profile handling deserves attention. Cellular connectivity in a modern vehicle is no longer just about maps and infotainment. It can support telematics, diagnostics, software updates, emergency services and digital features sold years after the car leaves the showroom.

Kigen is also using the same broader hardware and OS family across automotive, consumer and industrial IoT products. For OEM engineering teams, reducing parallel security and provisioning architectures can matter almost as much as adding another feature.

“Vehicles are becoming long-lived software platforms, so their connectivity trust anchor must remain secure and manageable long after production,” said Vincent Korstanje, CEO, Kigen. “Kigen’s new eSA-certified Automotive eSIMs give car manufacturers a secure path from factory provisioning to global fleet operation while preserving freedom to evolve connectivity throughout the vehicle lifetime. Given the market maturity of our eIM, the time to achieve this certification demonstrates the deep collaboration of Kigen’s product, engineering, certification, and operations teams with technology and ecosystem partners.”

The post-quantum question

Kigen has also brought Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) into the announcement.

One caveat matters: PQC is not yet part of the GSMA specifications. Kigen says it has implemented hybrid key encapsulation combining classical and quantum-safe algorithms, allowing OEMs to test PQC-resistant communications using its development suite and test eSIMs.

READ MORE: Post-Quantum Cryptography Is Coming to eSIM Infrastructure 

For a short-lived consumer device, “quantum-ready” can sound premature. For hardware expected to remain operational into the late 2030s, the calculation is different. Replacing hardware across millions of deployed vehicles is difficult. Building migration options earlier is easier.

“Kigen has played a key role in shaping the evolution of eSIM for IoT, including through Dr Saïd Gharout’s leadership of the GSMA eSIM Technical Working Group,” said Gloria Trujillo, eSIM Technical Director, GSMA. “This latest achievement, with the industry’s first eSA-certified eSIMs supporting SGP.32 v1.3, is an important step in translating GSMA eSIM IoT specifications into secure, interoperable technology for the next generation of connected IoT and vehicle fleets.”

Certification is not deployment

Kigen says its wider stack includes GSMA SAS-UP manufacturing certification, SAS-SM subscription-management certification and a hosted eIM platform. Its automotive eSIMs are also said to interoperate with more than 20 network providers ready for digital activation and more than 60 “Secure with Kigen” IoT modules.

OEM sampling in the ETSI MFF2 package is scheduled for October 2026, with GSMA interoperability testing also planned that month.

READ MORE: G+D becomes first company to achieve GSMA eSIM compliance and certification for IoT eUICC product 

That is where this becomes more interesting. Automotive buyers need more than a secure chip and a certificate. They need interoperability across operators, eIM platforms, telematics control units and vehicle programmes.

“Congratulations to Kigen on the industry’s first GSMA eSA certification to the latest SGP.32 enhanced specifications for automotive eSIMs,” said Katherine Diao, Head of IoT and Automotive Industry, China Mobile International. “China Mobile International is pleased to partner with Kigen to introduce SGP.32-based security solutions to Chinese automakers, supporting global deployment, CRA-aligned processes, and reliable connectivity for vehicles designed for long service life.”

For simpler or shorter-lived connected products, this level of automotive-grade assurance may be unnecessary. OEMs also have credible SGP.32 options from IDEMIA, G+D, Thales and others. The better fit depends on geography, operator relationships, eIM strategy and how much lifecycle control the manufacturer wants.

Conclusion

The real story is not that another eSIM passed another certification.

Automotive connectivity is moving away from the old model in which the modem, SIM and operator relationship were largely fixed at production. SGP.32 makes the connectivity layer something that can evolve with the vehicle.

G+D’s work with Rivian shows the standard entering real vehicle programmes. IDEMIA has demonstrated an end-to-end certified SGP.32 stack. Kigen is now pushing the security layer forward with an automotive-specific, v1.3-ready platform and an early route toward post-quantum protection.

The competitive question is no longer simply who can supply an automotive eSIM. It is who can keep that eSIM secure, interoperable and commercially flexible for the next 10 or 15 years.

For software-defined vehicles, that may prove far more important than the SIM itself.