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Strategic Analysis
A winning proposal must position itself as the flagship deployment instrument for the Apply AI Strategy and the EU Automotive Industrial Action Plan, deploying Level-4 autonomous electric fleets across 5–7 high-readiness cities with a verified cross-border pilot. Success requires combining robust, trustworthy European AI technology stacks with an operational, secure data-sharing entity to de-risk real-traffic operations and provide clear regulatory procurement blueprints.
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Support cities or urban agglomerations (from countries who have signed or plan to sign the “Joint Declaration of Intent concerning the creation of a cross-border testbed for the deployment of autonomous vehicles” or can demonstrate a comparable level of technological, operational and regulatory readiness) partnering with mobility service provider(s) and operator(s), vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, technology providers, R&I entities and public transport operators (as needed and appropriate), to deploy AI-enabled electric autonomous vehicles, with automation capabilities at level 4 (SAE), to enable autonomous driving operations, such as autonomous shuttle services, ride-hailing, car sharing and autonomous point to point navigation. Facilitate the sharing of knowledge, best practices, and recommendations among participating cities, industry, and with wider EU stakeholders. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2With a strong focus of proposals on providing pan-European added value through the exploitation of synergies, co-ordination, supply and demand-side aggregation, standard-setting, and sharing of data, AI models, and experiences across participating cities and industrial actors, it is expected that proposals build as far as possible on on-going actions at European, national, or regional level, and that complementary public funding and industrial investments are sought to support the actual deployment of autonomous vehicles and the roll-out of related mobility services at scale. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Prepare integration, operations and deployment of autonomous vehicles in 5-7 European city pilots in 5 or more Member States or associated countries, including prototyping equipment (vehicle, software, hardware), integration of vehicles in the transport infrastructure and mobility system, performing initial demonstrations in real-life traffic, and developing scaling and financing roadmaps. These pilots should: Include at least one cross-border city pilot between adjacent cities or urban agglomerations to demonstrate interoperability across different national regulations and physical and digital infrastructures, thereby providing evidence-based recommendations for large-scale deployment and regulatory alignment in Europe. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Support mandatory sharing of data, AI models and experiences across all pilots through a scheme to be agreed by the involved players e.g. through a European neutral, secure and trusted data handling entity or an organisation of similar profile. This sharing approach shall define, among others, the requirements for interoperable digital infrastructures and federated data-sharing and AI training frameworks, including the role of the infrastructure to augment vehicle perception in complex urban scenarios, that safeguard the interests of the industrial participants and enable safe, robust, and cybersecure-by-design operation of autonomous systems, robust cybersecurity and interoperability requirements for data and model sharing. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Take into account the regulatory simplification work on-going in the Action on “Large scale testbeds for autonomous driving” under the Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector of March 2025 (“Joint Declaration of Intent concerning the creation of a cross-border testbed for the deployment of automated vehicles” by many Member States) and provide guidance on interoperability and scaling of autonomous driving technologies, from pilot environments to large-scale urban operations in real traffic, addressing operational safety and security, regulatory approvals, certification procedures, procurement approaches and infrastructure integration (e.g. connectivity, data governance, charging infrastructure). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Delivery on the Apply AI Strategy flagship action “Autonomous Drive Ambition Cities” by bridging the gap between high technical maturity and sustainable commercial deployment in cities. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Strengthened competitiveness of European base vehicle manufacturers, AD technology stack providers, mobility service brokers, and mobility service operators through real-world deployment opportunities as addressed by the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA), in particular its working group on Autonomous Driving deployment. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Safer, more sustainable and accessible urban mobility through the integration of electric autonomous vehicles. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO4Demonstration of scalable autonomous mobility services and vehicles in real-traffic urban environments using mature autonomous driving technologies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO5Improved access to and secure sharing of data as well as AI models and tools to support the development, testing, validation and safe operation of autonomous driving systems. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO6Demonstration of a scalable, future-proof supporting infrastructure capable of delivering all required services, ensuring operational continuity, safety, and the seamless scalability of autonomous mobility deployments. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO7Address regulatory, operational and governance barriers to the deployment and scaling of autonomous mobility services, by supporting procurement frameworks, and capacity building within cities, as well as the harmonisation of deployment conditions and requirements, including the security and robustness of such services, as well as the identification of viable business models and replication pathways across the EU. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Interaction with European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA)Consortia are required to closely interact with the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA), particularly its working group on Autonomous Driving deployment. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Complementarity with CCAM Partnership and related projectsProposals must demonstrate close interaction and complementarity with the CCAM partnership, specifically the SYNERGIES project, CCAMbassador CSA, HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-06, and the Large Scale Demonstration under HORIZON-CL5-2026-10-D6-01. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3Utilization of emerging European data infrastructures and initiativesProjects should leverage emerging European infrastructures including AI factories, data labs, CEF projects, the common European Mobility Data Space (EMDS), EDIC on Mobility and Logistics, and relevant IPCEIs. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ4Mandatory sharing of data, AI models, and experiencesPilots must support mandatory sharing of data, AI models, and experiences via a neutral, secure, and trusted European data handling entity or comparable scheme with federated frameworks. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ5Application of European Common Evaluation Methodology (EU-CEM)Projects resulting from this topic are expected to apply the European Common Evaluation Methodology (EU-CEM) for CCAM. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ6Stakeholder engagement across cities, operators, and industryProposals must involve multi-stakeholder partnerships between cities/urban agglomerations, mobility service providers, vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, R&I entities, and public transport operators. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ7Selection of cities from ADACities Call for Expression of InterestProposers are encouraged to select participating pilot cities from the Call for Expression of Interest launched on 23 June 2026 for the Autonomous Drive Ambition Cities (ADACities) Initiative under the European Apply AI strategy. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ8Compliance with EU AI, data, and cybersecurity policy objectivesProposers are expected to comply with strategic objectives of EU AI-, Data-, and cybersecurity-related policies, ensuring safe, robust, and cybersecure-by-design operation of autonomous systems. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| No expected impacts in this call. | |||
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1apply ai strategyThe Apply AI Strategy focuses on accelerating the practical uptake, industrial integration, and deployment of trustworthy artificial intelligence across European key sectors and SMEs. It aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI research and real-world commercial or societal applications while ensuring adherence to ethical standards and European values. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL2industrial action plan for the european automotive sector of march 2025The Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector outlines strategic EU initiatives to maintain competitiveness, accelerate decarbonisation, and advance digital transformation across automotive manufacturing and supply chains. It addresses supply chain resilience, software-defined vehicle innovation, automated driving technologies, and fair transition challenges facing European industry. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL3joint declaration of intent concerning the creation of a cross-border testbed for the deployment of autonomous vehiclesThis multilateral agreement commits participating European countries and the European Commission to establish and facilitate shared, interoperable cross-border testing corridors for cooperative, connected, and automated mobility (CCAM). It aims to harmonize regulatory exemptions, technical standards, 5G connectivity infrastructure, and cross-border data exchanges for autonomous vehicles. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
Country of establishment limitation
Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway and associated countries.
Exclusion based on ownership and control
Entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or a non-eligible country entity, shall not participate in the action.
4 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.
Proposals face a hard eligibility gate regarding ownership and control restrictions. Any consortium member, even if established in an eligible Member State or Associated Country, will be disqualified if they are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country entity. You must conduct rigorous due diligence on the corporate ownership structures of all partners before inclusion.
Source: Eligibility rules
The proposal architecture is strictly dictated by the requirement to deploy 5 to 7 European city pilots across at least 5 Member States or Associated Countries. Crucially, this must include at least one operational cross-border pilot between adjacent cities. Failing to secure the exact municipal commitments and cross-border interoperability agreements will result in severe penalties under the Implementation and Excellence criteria.
Source: Scope
The call mandates the sharing of data and AI models across all pilots to safeguard industrial interests while enabling cybersecure operations. To satisfy this, the consortium must include or establish a neutral, secure data handling entity to govern the federated data-sharing framework. Proposals lacking a dedicated, trusted broker for this data governance will fail to meet the core interoperability requirements.
Source: Scope
Evaluators will heavily weigh your proposal's integration with existing European mobility frameworks under the Impact criterion. You must demonstrate actionable complementarity with the CCAM partnership and the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA). Treat these alliances not as passive stakeholders, but as active operational interfaces for your scaling and regulatory harmonization roadmaps.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Specific requirements
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
Country of establishment limitation
Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway and associated countries.
Exclusion based on ownership and control
Entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or a non-eligible country entity, shall not participate in the action.
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described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security, it is important to avoid a situation of technological dependency on a non-EU source, in a global context that requires the EU to take action to build on its strengths, and to carefully assess and address any strategic weaknesses, vulnerabilities and high-risk dependencies which put at risk the attainment of its ambitions. For this reason, participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway and associated countries. For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed in the paragraph above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or a non-eligible country entity, shall not participate in the action.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Ownership Control Declaration Annex
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
Guidance on participation in EU calls with ownership and control restrictions
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Evaluators will rigorously enforce the strict ownership and control restrictions (safeguarding EU technological autonomy against non-EU dependencies) alongside the mandatory requirement of 5 to 7 European city pilots across at least 5 MS/AC, including at least one operational cross-border corridor. Under Excellence, evaluators will scrutinize the technical maturity of the SAE L4 stack, physical-to-digital infrastructure integration, and compliance with the AI Act and cybersecurity-by-design standards. Under Impact and Implementation, priority will be given to commitments demonstrating genuine public transport and fleet operator involvement, industrial co-investment, alignment with ECAVA and the CCAM Partnership, and actionable regulatory harmonization roadmaps based on the March 2025 Joint Declaration of Intent.
TRL 4 → 8
Support cities or urban agglomerations (from countries who have signed or plan to sign the “Joint Declaration of Intent concerning the creation of a cross-border testbed for the deployment of autonomous vehicles” or can demonstrate a comparable level of technological, operational and regulatory readiness) partnering with mobility service provider(s) and operator(s), vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, technology providers, R&I entities and public transport operators (as needed and appropriate), to deploy AI-enabled electric autonomous vehicles, with automation capabilities at level 4 (SAE), to enable autonomous driving operations, such as autonomous shuttle services, ride-hailing, car sharing and autonomous point to point navigation. Facilitate the sharing of knowledge, best practices, and recommendations among participating cities, industry, and with wider EU stakeholders.
With a strong focus of proposals on providing pan-European added value through the exploitation of synergies, co-ordination, supply and demand-side aggregation, standard-setting, and sharing of data, AI models, and experiences across participating cities and industrial actors, it is expected that proposals build as far as possible on on-going actions at European, national, or regional level, and that complementary public funding and industrial investments are sought to support the actual deployment of autonomous vehicles and the roll-out of related mobility services at scale.
Prepare integration, operations and deployment of autonomous vehicles in 5-7 European city pilots in 5 or more Member States or associated countries, including prototyping equipment (vehicle, software, hardware), integration of vehicles in the transport infrastructure and mobility system, performing initial demonstrations in real-life traffic, and developing scaling and financing roadmaps. These pilots should: Include at least one cross-border city pilot between adjacent cities or urban agglomerations to demonstrate interoperability across different national regulations and physical and digital infrastructures, thereby providing evidence-based recommendations for large-scale deployment and regulatory alignment in Europe.
Support mandatory sharing of data, AI models and experiences across all pilots through a scheme to be agreed by the involved players e.g. through a European neutral, secure and trusted data handling entity or an organisation of similar profile. This sharing approach shall define, among others, the requirements for interoperable digital infrastructures and federated data-sharing and AI training frameworks, including the role of the infrastructure to augment vehicle perception in complex urban scenarios, that safeguard the interests of the industrial participants and enable safe, robust, and cybersecure-by-design operation of autonomous systems, robust cybersecurity and interoperability requirements for data and model sharing.
Take into account the regulatory simplification work on-going in the Action on “Large scale testbeds for autonomous driving” under the Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector of March 2025 (“Joint Declaration of Intent concerning the creation of a cross-border testbed for the deployment of automated vehicles” by many Member States) and provide guidance on interoperability and scaling of autonomous driving technologies, from pilot environments to large-scale urban operations in real traffic, addressing operational safety and security, regulatory approvals, certification procedures, procurement approaches and infrastructure integration (e.g. connectivity, data governance, charging infrastructure).
Delivery on the Apply AI Strategy flagship action “Autonomous Drive Ambition Cities” by bridging the gap between high technical maturity and sustainable commercial deployment in cities.
Strengthened competitiveness of European base vehicle manufacturers, AD technology stack providers, mobility service brokers, and mobility service operators through real-world deployment opportunities as addressed by the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA), in particular its working group on Autonomous Driving deployment.
Safer, more sustainable and accessible urban mobility through the integration of electric autonomous vehicles.
Demonstration of scalable autonomous mobility services and vehicles in real-traffic urban environments using mature autonomous driving technologies.
Improved access to and secure sharing of data as well as AI models and tools to support the development, testing, validation and safe operation of autonomous driving systems.
Demonstration of a scalable, future-proof supporting infrastructure capable of delivering all required services, ensuring operational continuity, safety, and the seamless scalability of autonomous mobility deployments.
Address regulatory, operational and governance barriers to the deployment and scaling of autonomous mobility services, by supporting procurement frameworks, and capacity building within cities, as well as the harmonisation of deployment conditions and requirements, including the security and robustness of such services, as well as the identification of viable business models and replication pathways across the EU.
No expected impacts identified for this destination.
Apply AI Strategy
highThe Apply AI Strategy focuses on accelerating the practical uptake, industrial integration, and deployment of trustworthy artificial intelligence across European key sectors and SMEs. It aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI research and real-world commercial or societal applications while ensuring adherence to ethical standards and European values.
Evaluators expect proposals to detail how AI solutions are effectively integrated into business models or industry workflows, clearly addressing practical deployment barriers, user trust, technical robustness, and tangible market value creation.
Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector of March 2025
highThe Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector outlines strategic EU initiatives to maintain competitiveness, accelerate decarbonisation, and advance digital transformation across automotive manufacturing and supply chains. It addresses supply chain resilience, software-defined vehicle innovation, automated driving technologies, and fair transition challenges facing European industry.
Evaluators expect proposals to demonstrate how autonomous mobility solutions strengthen the European automotive industrial base, integrate standardisation efforts, and address practical supply chain, safety, and competitiveness criteria highlighted in the action plan.
Joint Declaration of Intent concerning the creation of a cross-border testbed for the deployment of autonomous vehicles
highThis multilateral agreement commits participating European countries and the European Commission to establish and facilitate shared, interoperable cross-border testing corridors for cooperative, connected, and automated mobility (CCAM). It aims to harmonize regulatory exemptions, technical standards, 5G connectivity infrastructure, and cross-border data exchanges for autonomous vehicles.
Evaluators expect proposals to outline concrete cross-border interoperability mechanisms, address cross-jurisdiction regulatory approvals and liability protocols, and show practical validation using established European testing corridors or cross-border municipal routes.
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