Flagship-pilot: large-scale demonstrations of CCAM (CCAM Partnership)

The Horizon Europe funding opportunity titled "Flagship-pilot:large-scale demonstrations of Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM)" falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically related to the BATTERIES and MOBILITY call. It is identified as HORIZON-CL5, with a budget of €100 million designated for 2026. The funding opportunity aims to support large-scale demonstrations within the CCAM sector, focusing on enhancing mobility solutions for individuals and goods.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of stakeholders such as private organizations like OEMs and technology developers, public sector entities including municipalities and transport authorities, and community representatives. The call explicitly requires a consortium of multiple applicants to ensure comprehensive engagement across the entire CCAM value chain. Entities from EU Member States, EEA countries, and Associated Countries can apply, but those controlled by Chinese entities are not eligible.

The objective of the funding is to facilitate demonstrations that integrate user-oriented and well-coordinated CCAM systems. The grant will support innovative actions that advance technologies for automated vehicles, particularly in mixed traffic environments, through Field Operational Tests, Technology Pilots, and Living Labs. The goal is to transition from SAE Level 2 to Levels 3 and 4 functionalities of autonomous vehicle systems.

The application process is single-stage, requiring a complete proposal to be submitted electronically between June 4, 2026, and October 8, 2026. Currently, only one flagship project is expected to be funded, signifying a highly competitive environment with likely success rates below 10%. While co-funding is encouraged, it is not formally mandated.

Expected outcomes include validation of technologies, assessment of deployment readiness, recommendations for regulatory frameworks, and identification of sustainable business models for continued operation post-demonstration. Projects must address social factors and involve interdisciplinary expertise, notably from social sciences and humanities.

This funding opportunity represents a commitment to advancing autonomous and connected mobility solutions in Europe, contributing to safety, sustainability, efficiency, and societal acceptance of innovative transport systems.

This is a description of the EU Funding Opportunity HORIZON-CL5, titled "Flagship-pilot: large-scale demonstrations of CCAM (CCAM Partnership)". This funding opportunity falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the BATTERIES and MOBILITY (HORIZON-CL5-2026-10) call. It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date is 04 June 2026, and the deadline date is 08 October 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time. The budget for this topic is €100,000,000 for the year 2026, and it is expected that around 1 grant will be awarded. The expected outcome of this action is to contribute to large-scale demonstrations of inclusive, user-oriented, and well-integrated Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) systems and services for people and goods in mixed traffic through Field Operational Tests (FOTs), Technology Pilots, and Living Labs. These demonstrations should build upon advanced and emerging SAE Level 2 systems, moving towards SAE Level 3 and 4 functionalities, at multiple test sites and corridors showcasing CCAM potential for a minimum of 12 months. The action also aims to validate enabling technologies that facilitate the extension of Operational Design Domains (ODDs) in large-scale operations and enhance perception performance under poor lighting and adverse weather conditions in large-scale demonstrations and pilots. Furthermore, it seeks to assess deployment readiness and demonstrate technological maturity, focusing on reliability, security, and real-world applicability, and to identify remaining technological and societal development needs to accelerate deployment and drive user and societal demand. The demonstrations are intended to strengthen the connection with users and society through a co-creative process, ensuring that technological developments align with real-world needs and societal expectations. The action should also provide recommendations for regulatory action aimed at facilitating the deployment of Automated Vehicles (AVs) in Europe, by engaging with relevant policy and regulatory bodies, and identify and select viable business models for each of the use-cases explored per domain, aiming for continued operation after the flagship pilot through private investment or national/local public funding, including mechanisms for transferability and replicability to enable a broader application of results to other cities and regions. The scope of the action includes demonstrating different CCAM solutions and technologies in the following domains: Individual mobility within mixed traffic environments, encompassing urban, suburban, motorway, and rural settings, with a focus on the seamless integration of automated and conventional vehicles. Shared mobility and public transport operations in urban, regional, and rural areas, for end-to-end journeys aiming to enhance safety, accessibility, equity, and sustainability. Freight transport for hub-to-hub, corridors, and logistics hubs on public roads and confined areas, integrating logistics, fleet, and terminal operators. The action should also integrate common activities across domains, such as ensuring close coordination and synergies with innovation actions planned under the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA), leveraging on Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs), ensuring inclusive engagement of key European private and public stakeholders, assessing the transferability, adaptability, and scalability of advanced technologies, executing public engagement and awareness campaigns, assessing compliance with current regulatory requirements, bringing forth real-world evidence on the effects and impacts of integrating mixed CCAM solutions, exemplifying benefits of vehicle-vehicle or vehicle-infrastructure cooperation, using data from large-scale demonstrations to identify pertinent scenarios and edge cases, facilitating the interoperability of connected and automated systems, and encouraging collaboration with the European Software-defined Vehicle (SDV) initiative. The action requires the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts and institutions. The general conditions for this funding opportunity include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion, evaluation and award criteria, submission and evaluation processes, indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, and legal and financial set-up of the grants. Specific conditions are not applicable. The application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) include the standard application form (HE RIA, IA), evaluation form templates, HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, HE Unit MGA, and call-specific instructions. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement. The budget overview provides information on the different topics within the call, their budget, stage, opening date, deadline, contributions, and indicative number of grants. This funding opportunity aims to demonstrate the potential of connected, cooperative, and automated mobility (CCAM) solutions to create a more user-centered, inclusive, safe, efficient, and sustainable mobility system in Europe. It seeks to validate enabling technologies, assess deployment readiness, and identify remaining development needs, while also engaging with users and society, providing recommendations for regulatory action, and identifying viable business models. The action is expected to involve a wide range of stakeholders from both the public and private sectors and to contribute to European technological innovation, sovereignty, and competitiveness.

Eligible Applicant Types:The call is open to a wide range of stakeholders, including but not limited to shared mobility operators, public transport and logistics operators, infrastructure providers, associations, SMEs and start-ups (particularly technology developers), European OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, municipalities, cities, regions, motorway operators, emergency service operators, public transport authorities, research institutions, and community groups (user groups) for the transport of people and goods. The call explicitly encourages inclusive engagement of all key European private and public stakeholders across their entire value chain. Entities established in an eligible country but directly or indirectly controlled by China or a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate.

Funding Type:The primary funding type is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. There are also HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA)

Consortium Requirement:The call emphasizes inclusive engagement, suggesting that a consortium of multiple applicants is strongly encouraged, if not explicitly required. The text mentions ensuring inclusive engagement of all key European private stakeholders and public players across their entire value chain.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The call is primarily targeted at entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries. However, the text mentions that 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.

Target Sector:The primary target sector is connected, cooperative, and automated mobility (CCAM). This encompasses a wide range of sub-sectors, including transport, ICT, space (related to satellite data usage), AI, cybersecurity, electric vehicles, and related infrastructure. The call also touches upon social sciences and humanities (SSH) due to the emphasis on user-centric design and societal impact.

Mentioned Countries:The call explicitly mentions China as a country whose controlled entities are not eligible for participation. The call is focused on European stakeholders, so EU Member States and Associated Countries are implicitly the target geographies.

Project Stage:The project stage is primarily focused on demonstration, validation, and assessment of deployment readiness and technological maturity. The call aims to build upon advanced and emerging SAE Level 2 systems to move towards SAE Level 3 and 4 functionalities. Large-scale demonstrations through Field Operational Tests (FOTs), Technology Pilots, and Living Labs are central to the call.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary depending on the specific HORIZON action type. For the HORIZON-CL5 topic, the budget is €100,000,000. Other topics within the call have varying budgets, ranging from €4,000,000 to €100,000,000.

Application Type:The application type is a single-stage call, meaning that applicants submit a full proposal in one step.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support their innovation actions, research, and coordination activities.

Application Stages:The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates:The indicative number of grants and the budget per topic can provide some insight into potential success rates, but the actual success rates will depend on the number and quality of proposals received. For example, HORIZON-CL5 has a budget of €100,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant, while HORIZON-CL5-2026-10-D2-03 also has a budget of €100,000,000 but an indicative number of 3 grants.

Co-funding Requirement:The call does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement. However, it mentions identifying viable business models for continued operation after the flagship pilot through private investment or national/local public funding, suggesting that leveraging additional funding sources is encouraged.

This Horizon Europe call, under the BATTERIES and MOBILITY section, focuses on large-scale demonstrations of Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) solutions. It aims to advance the development and deployment of automated vehicles and related technologies across Europe. The call seeks projects that can demonstrate inclusive, user-oriented, and well-integrated CCAM systems and services for both people and goods. These demonstrations should take place in mixed traffic environments, utilizing Field Operational Tests, Technology Pilots, and Living Labs. The projects should build upon existing SAE Level 2 systems, progressing towards Level 3 and 4 functionalities.

The scope of the call includes individual mobility, shared mobility/public transport, and freight transport, covering various settings like urban, suburban, motorway, and rural areas. Projects should integrate advanced technologies such as AI, V2X, cybersecurity, and precise positioning. A strong emphasis is placed on collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including OEMs, suppliers, public authorities, research institutions, and community groups. The call also encourages consideration of social factors like gender, age, and income level, as well as the use of environmentally friendly vehicles, particularly electric vehicles.

The expected outcomes include large-scale demonstrations, validation of enabling technologies, assessment of deployment readiness, identification of development needs, recommendations for regulatory action, and the selection of viable business models. Projects are expected to coordinate with other relevant initiatives and apply the European Common Evaluation Methodology (EU-CEM) for CCAM. The call provides funding through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA), with budgets ranging from €4,000,000 to €100,000,000 per topic. The application process is single-stage, and consortia are strongly encouraged to ensure broad representation and expertise. Overall, this call represents a significant opportunity for stakeholders in the CCAM ecosystem to contribute to the advancement and deployment of innovative mobility solutions in Europe, fostering safer, more efficient, and sustainable transportation systems.