Coordination of the European software-defined vehicle platform

Coordination and Support Action HORIZON-JU to steer a European software-defined vehicle ecosystem and an AI-powered autonomous driving stack by coordinating software, AI/data, hardware and deployment actors. Indicative EU budget €2,000,000 with one expected grant and project funding from €1,000,000 to €2,000,000. Single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, deadline 22 September 2026, and proposals must form consortia representing automotive associations, OEMs, suppliers, RTOs, universities and industry partners. Participation restrictions apply for protection of European digital infrastructures and Ownership Control Declarations are required for each consortium member; contact Calls@chips-ju.europa.eu for queries.

Call HORIZON-JU-CHIPS-2026-SDV-CSA (CSA)

One-line summary

Coordination and Support Action to create and steer a European agenda and ecosystem for a full software-defined, hardware-enabled autonomous driving (AD) stack built in Europe, promoting open-source reference architectures, cross-sector alignment (software, AI/data, hardware, validation and deployment), stakeholder engagement and coordination with Chips JU, CCAM and Member State flagship actions.

What it funds:Activities that coordinate stakeholders, define a European R&I roadmap, support cross-sector linkages, promote open-source AD software stacks and align hardware/software ecosystem and testing infrastructure in line with the Chips Act and AI Act ¹.

Who can apply:Consortia of legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon-associated countries covering key automotive value chain actors: OEMs, suppliers, tool providers, road operators, RTOs, universities, startups and relevant OSS initiatives. Participation restrictions and Ownership Control Declarations apply as described in call documents ¹.

Funding and structure:Type of action: HORIZON JU Coordination and Support Action. Expected EU contribution per awarded project approximately €2 000 000; topic maps min contribution €1 000 000 and max contribution €2 000 000. Single-stage submission.

Deadline:22 September 2026 (single-stage).

1. 1Steer a Europe-wide agenda and roadmap for an AI-powered AD stack and open-source reference architectures
2. 2Establish intersectoral alignment across computing platforms, AI models, validation and deployment
3. 3Coordinate stakeholders, testing infrastructures and align actions across Chips JU, CCAM and Member State flagships

Apply and find full topic documents, templates and participation rules on the Funding & Tenders Portal Topic page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call text, annexes and submission instructions available at the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: ec.europa.eu

Call summary and objective

This is a call for Coordination and Support Action (CSA) under the CHIPS Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) in Horizon Europe. The topic aims to coordinate and catalyse the emergence of a full European software-defined vehicle (SDV) ecosystem and an AI-powered autonomous driving (AD) stack built in Europe. Activities should establish structured intersectoral linkages between software, AI/data, hardware and deployment actors, produce a European R&I roadmap, engage stakeholders across the automotive value chain and promote open-source AD software stack initiatives and testing infrastructures aligned with the Chips Act and the AI Act. Proposals should ensure coherence and complementarity with existing and emerging actions at EU and Member State levels, including liaison with ECAVA working groups, CCAM, Digital Vehicle Platform initiatives and relevant OSS initiatives.

Deadline and administrative facts:Single-stage submission. Deadline 22 September 2026. Submission session became available on 7 July 2026. Expected EU contribution per selected project approximately €2 000 000 (budgeted up to €2 000 000 for 2026). The call uses the HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based model (HORIZON-AG). For online submission use the Funding & Tenders Portal entry for topic HORIZON-JU. For contact and questions: Calls@chips-ju.europa.eu CHIPS JU Topic Page ¹

Expected outcomes (detailed)

Proposals are expected to deliver coordination outputs and stakeholder engagement to achieve the following outcomes: steer a European agenda to catalyse development of a full software-defined and hardware-enabled vehicle AD stack built in Europe from onboard compute architecture to in-vehicle software and cloud; establish structured intersectoral linkages to align architectural decisions across computing platforms, AI models, validation frameworks and real-world deployment; promote a European R&I roadmap for an AI-powered AD stack in close liaison with ECAVA Working Groups and relevant OSS initiatives; ensure the engagement of the automotive value chain (OEMs, suppliers, tool providers) and innovative R&I stakeholders (research and technology organisations, universities, start-ups) toward an open-source autonomous driving stack; promote cross-pollination of a collaborative ecosystem and testing infrastructure for an OSS AD software stack among industry, Member States, road operators and the EU consistent with the Chips Act and AI Act; and support coordination of related automotive hardware and software actions within the Chips JU, CCAM and Member State flagship partnerships to secure coherence and complementarity of new actions.

Type of action and funding mechanism:This topic is a Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-JU-CSA) implemented as an EU grant (HORIZON Action Grant, budget-based). Financial contributions to third parties (FSTP) may be governed by the specific topic conditions and the Horizon Europe guidance; consult the call-specific documents for rules on FSTP, if applicable.

Structured extraction of key attributes

The following fields summarize the opportunity in structured form with full detail extracted from the published call text and supporting metadata.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Automotive industry actors (OEMs), suppliers and Tier-n suppliers, tool providers and platform vendors, software companies (including SMEs and start-ups), research and technology organisations (RTOs), universities and higher education establishments, public bodies (Member State authorities, road operators), non-profit organisations, open-source software initiatives and communities, standardisation bodies, and consortia incorporating combinations of the above. The call text explicitly envisages engagement of industrial partners (OEMs, suppliers, tool-providers), RTOs, universities, start-ups and OSS initiatives. Individual natural persons are not indicated as direct beneficiaries.
2. 2Funding Type: EU grant under Horizon Europe (Coordination and Support Action, HORIZON-JU-CSA), HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Consortium is expected. The topic refers to consortium-level requirements including Ownership Control Declarations for each consortium member; the submission procedures and template indicate consortium-based proposals. While the call documents do not state a strict minimum number of partners in the scraped excerpt, the nature of CSA coordination and the requirement to engage multiple stakeholder groups imply multi-entity consortia (consortium required).
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Primarily EU Member States and Horizon-associated countries. The Work Programme notes that some non-EU/non-associated countries may have specific provisions to make funding available to their participants; check the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and the call-specific restrictions/annexes. Also note participation restrictions linked to protection of European digital infrastructures as described in Annex 4 to the Multiannual Work Programme; participants must complete Ownership Control Declarations as part of eligibility checks.
5. 5Target Sector: Automotive and transport with strong cross-cutting Digital/ICT priorities: software-defined vehicles, autonomous driving, onboard compute and hardware architectures, AI and data-driven AD stacks, open-source software (OSS) AD stacks, validation and testing infrastructure, edge/cloud automotive computing, semiconductor and electronic components related to vehicles (ECS), and coordination across CCAM and Chips JU themes.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: No individual Member State or third country names were explicitly listed in the scraped text. The call is for EU / Horizon Europe associated countries; non-EU/non-associated countries may participate only if specific arrangements exist. Regionally this is EU / Horizon Europe / Chips JU area.
7. 7Project Stage: Coordination and ecosystem-building rather than primary R&D; expected maturity focus: system architecture definition, roadmap development, alignment and coordination across research, development and deployment activities. Suitable for activities at development, validation and demonstration planning stages and for actors coordinating transition towards commercialization and scale-up of an EU-built AD stack.
8. 8Funding Amount: Expected EU contribution per selected project approximately €2 000 000. Metadata indicates one expected grant in the topic with min contribution €1 000 000 and max contribution €2 000 000 and budget for 2026 set to €2 000 000.
9. 9Application Type: Open call via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission is single-stage through the Electronic Submission Service (single-stage, single deadline). Applicants must select the correct action and model grant agreement when creating draft proposals; after confirmation the choice cannot be changed in the submission system.
10. 10Nature of Support: Monetary funding (grant) to selected beneficiaries for coordination activities. The call can include non-financial outputs such as roadmaps, stakeholder networks, standards proposals and coordination services. If the selected CSA includes Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), that must follow rules in the call documents; check Appendix and HE guidance.
11. 11Application Stages: 1 (single-stage evaluation and selection).
12. 12Success Rates: Not specified in the published call material. No historical success rates provided. Applicants should assume competitive selection and prepare proposals to meet evaluation criteria in the Template of Evaluation Form.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: The scraped text does not explicitly state a mandatory co-funding percentage. As a Coordination and Support Action under Horizon Europe, typical rules are set out in the Model Grant Agreement and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Applicants should consult the call-specific MGA and budget tables; the call metadata shows budget-based grant and planned EU contribution up to €2 000 000. Any co-funding requirements or in-kind contributions must be checked in the call documents and Part A/B templates.
14. 14Templates and Application Forms: The call provides a Template of Application Form - SDV-CSA and a Template of Evaluation Form for the topic. Applicants must follow Part B layout and page limits described in the Application Form available in the submission system. Ownership Control Declaration (OCD) forms are required for each consortium member and should be merged into a single PDF and uploaded with the proposal; where OCD contains sensitive data, forms can be submitted individually. Additional relevant documents: Appendix 7 to the Work Programme - Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) - 2026; Decision on evaluation and selection procedures related to Chips JU calls; Rules for legal entity validation, LEAR appointment, financial capacity and ownership control assessment; Annotated Model Grant Agreement for EU Funding Programmes 2021-2027; Ownership Control Declaration form template; Template of Application Form - SDV-CSA; Template of Evaluation Form - HORIZON-JU.

Applicant guidance and requirements (detailed)

Important administrative and eligibility points applicants must address in the proposal and application package.

1. 1Consortium composition and roles: Proposals should bring together the automotive value chain and R&I stakeholders: OEMs, suppliers, tool providers, platform vendors, OSS initiatives, RTOs, universities, start-ups, road operators and competent public authorities. The CSA must be able to engage and coordinate these stakeholder groups across Europe.
2. 2Ownership Control Declarations (OCD): Due to participation restrictions for protection of European digital infrastructures and supply chains, each consortium member must complete an OCD. The standard procedure is to merge all OCDs into a single PDF and upload with the proposal; alternative individual submission is allowed for sensitive data. OCDs are used to assess ownership control and eligibility under Annex 4 to the Multiannual Work Programme.
3. 3Templates and application layout: Follow the Proposal Part B template available in the submission system and adhere to page limits and formatting rules described in Part B. Use the provided Template of Application Form - SDV-CSA and consult the Template of Evaluation Form to structure the proposal to match evaluation criteria.
4. 4Legal and financial validation: Follow rules for legal entity validation, LEAR appointment, financial capacity and ownership control assessment as described in the call documents. Ensure the organisation has an active validated PIC and the LEAR is appointed for administrative interactions.
5. 5Compliance with cross-cutting priorities: The call indicates DigitalAgenda cross-cutting priority. Ensure alignment with the Chips Act and AI Act where relevant, and demonstrate how the CSA will interface with these policy frameworks.
6. 6Consortium agreements and IPR policy: Proposals should describe planned stakeholder engagement, governance and intellectual property practices particularly where open-source reference stacks and collaborative infrastructures are promoted.
7. 7Engagement with EU and Member State initiatives: Proposals must demonstrate liaison and complementarity with ECAVA working groups, CCAM, Digital Vehicle Platform and Member State flagship partnerships and other relevant EU initiatives.

Evaluation and selection

The call uses the Chips JU evaluation and selection procedures as detailed in the Decision on the evaluation and selection procedures related to calls launched by the Chips JU and the Template of Evaluation Form specific to this topic. Proposals will be assessed against standard Horizon/Chips JU criteria for Excellence, Impact and Implementation as specified in the call-specific evaluation template. Applicants should download and consult the Template of Evaluation Form - HORIZON-JU and the call-specific guidance.

Application checklist:Prepare and upload: Part A data, Part B proposal following the SDV-CSA template, merged Ownership Control Declarations (or individual OCDs where relevant), consortium partner descriptions, budget and justification consistent with HORIZON-AG rules, any declarations required under participation restrictions, and supporting letters of commitment from key stakeholders (OEMs, road operators, OSS initiatives) where available.

Templates and format (outline)

The call provides a Template of Application Form - SDV-CSA; below is an outline structure applicants should expect and populate according to the official template and submission system Part B layout. Always use the official template in the submission system for final submission.

1. 1Part A administrative information (filled in the Portal): legal name, PIC, coordinator, contact persons, duration, budget summary.
2. 2Part B - Section 1 Excellence: objectives, relation to the topic's expected outcomes, state-of-the-art, concept and methodology, alignment with ECAVA and OSS initiatives.
3. 3Part B - Section 2 Impact: expected impacts, measures to maximise impact, exploitation and dissemination, contribution to EU policies (Chips Act, AI Act), metrics and KPIs for ecosystem development.
4. 4Part B - Section 3 Implementation: work plan and work packages, deliverables, milestones, risk management, consortium roles and responsibilities, governance and stakeholder engagement plan, communication and standardisation activities.
5. 5Budget tables: detailed budgets per partner and per work package, justification of resources, personnel, subcontracting and other eligible costs per HORIZON-AG rules.
6. 6Annexes and supporting documents: Letters of support/commitment, OCD merged PDF, CVs of key personnel, consortium agreement plan, IPR and open-source strategy.

Applicants must follow Part B page limits and layout as defined in the Application Form in the submission system and Appendix 7 to the Work Programme - Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) - 2026.

Risks, special requirements and restrictions

This topic is subject to participation restrictions linked to protection of European digital infrastructures, communication and information systems, and related supply chains as described in Annex 4 to the Multiannual Work Programme. Ownership Control Declarations are required and will be used to assess eligibility. Check the call documents for sensitive data handling instructions and for rules related to third-country participation and funding. The call aims to promote open-source initiatives while balancing national security and industrial policy considerations; proposals must address how they will comply with regulatory and security constraints.

Support and additional resources:Useful resources include: Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Chips JU Multiannual Work Programme and Appendix 7 ECS, Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Ownership Control Declaration form template, Template of Application Form - SDV-CSA, Template of Evaluation Form. For queries contact Calls@chips-ju.europa.eu. National Contact Points, Enterprise Europe Network, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC and ETSI research helpdesks can provide guidance on participation, exploitation, IPR and standards.

This call is listed in the Funding & Tenders Portal and the Chips JU web pages; applicants should use the official links and templates provided there for submission and to ensure compliance with all formal eligibility and administrative requirements.

Footnotes

1. 1Call topic page and official call documents available at the Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Funding Opportunity Overview

This Coordination and Support Action (CSA) aims to steer a European agenda for developing a full software-defined and hardware-enabled autonomous driving (AD) stack 'built in Europe,' from onboard compute architecture to cloud integration ¹. The project will establish structured intersectoral linkages between software, AI/data, hardware, and deployment actors to ensure architectural alignment across computing platforms and validation frameworks ².

Total Budget:The total indicative EU budget for this call is €2,000,000, with one expected grant awarded ³.

Funding Range:The minimum EU contribution is €1,000,000 and the maximum is €2,000,000 per project ³.

Deadline:The submission deadline is 22 September 2026 at 00:00:00 UTC ⁴.

Who Should Apply

The consortium must include a representative set of associations from the automotive and motor vehicle industry representing significant numbers of OEMs and suppliers across the EU and Associated Countries ⁵.

1. 1Automotive industry associations (OEMs and suppliers)
2. 2Neutral mediators such as leading automotive consultancies
3. 3Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)
4. 4Universities and start-ups
5. 5Industrial partners (tool-providers, suppliers)

Participants are required to conclude a formal consortium agreement in line with the KDT JU Model Grant Agreement and Rules for Participation ⁵.

Key Expected Outcomes

Proposals must contribute to catalysing the development of a European AI-powered AD stack, ensuring coherence with the Chips Act and AI Act ¹.

• Develop and regularly update a joint technical roadmap for a common open SDV platform, aiming for full operation by 2030 ⁵.
• Facilitate agreement on an open reference architecture for the software-defined vehicle ⁵.
• Support the Commission and JU in setting up a high-level governance structure for R&I actions under the KDT/Chips JU ⁵.
• Ensure alignment with other Chips Act activities focusing on EU-designed open-source hardware for the automotive sector ⁵.
• Steer consensus on jointly developed open-source components of the SDV software stack, drawing from Focus Area outcomes ⁵.
• Organise a European conference on automotive software targeting software engineers and developers ⁵.

Eligibility and Participation Requirements

This call is subject to participation restrictions for the protection of European digital infrastructures, communication systems, and related supply chains ⁶.

Ownership Control Declaration:Participants must fill in Ownership Control Declarations (OCD) for each consortium member to assess eligibility; these must be merged into a single PDF and uploaded with the proposal ⁶.

The procedure is single-stage, meaning only a full proposal is required without a prior project outline phase ⁴.

Strategic Context and Partnerships

The initiative aligns with the Digital Vehicle initiative, focusing on shared open-source software building blocks rather than proprietary solutions to support EU digital sovereignty and industrial competitiveness ³.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal ⁴.

Portal Link:Funding Portal Topic Page

For questions, contact Calls@chips-ju.europa.eu ⁴.

Footnotes

1. 1Expected Outcome details from the official call text: HORIZON-JU [[ec.europa.eu
2. 2Intersectoral linkages and architectural alignment requirements from the call description [[ec.europa.eu
3. 3Budget Overview data: Total €2,000,000, Min €1,000,000, Max €2,000,000, 1 expected grant [[ec.europa.eu
4. 4Call details: Deadline 22 September 2026, Single-stage procedure, Contact Calls@chips-ju.europa.eu [[ec.europa.eu
5. 5Consortium composition and tasks: Automotive associations, neutral mediators, RTOs, roadmap to 2030, open reference architecture, governance structure [[cost-action.eu
6. 6Participation restrictions and Ownership Control Declaration (OCD) requirements for digital infrastructure protection [[chips-ju.europa.eu