Predicting and avoiding road crashes based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-14 focuses on using artificial intelligence and big data to predict and prevent road crashes. This initiative encourages the development of AI-enabled digital twins of traffic systems, integrating diverse data sources to enhance road safety and optimize traffic flow.

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large companies, public-private partnerships, and non-governmental organizations, with a strong emphasis on international collaboration particularly with entities from the United States, Japan, Singapore, and Australia.

The funding type is a grant categorized under the Horizon Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), with each project eligible to receive up to €5 million. The total budget for this call is €10 million, indicating support for two projects.

The call is structured as a single-stage application process with a submission deadline of January 20, 2026. There is no requirement for co-funding, as the grants will cover 100% of eligible costs through lump sums.

Proposals need to address various research and development aspects, including the technical challenges of data acquisition, real-time monitoring, contingency planning for safety-critical situations, bias mitigation in AI models, and the analysis of non-technical challenges like ethical considerations and data sharing barriers. Projects should also aim to develop predictive tools for traffic situations and establish interoperability standards to facilitate data sharing.

The expected outcomes include proactive identification of high-risk zones, enhancements in traffic management systems, and recommendations for updates in legal frameworks related to data sharing.

Overall, this grant calls for innovative solutions that leverage advanced technology to facilitate safer and more efficient road transportation systems through proactive data-informed interventions.

The EU Funding and Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically within Cluster 5, call 01-2026 (WP 2025) with the topic HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-14: Predicting and avoiding road crashes based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data. This is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement. The deadline is a single-stage model, with a planned opening date of September 16, 2025, and a deadline of January 20, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The project aims to contribute to several expected outcomes: making knowledge of high-risk locations available before crashes occur, enabling proactive countermeasures by road authorities; predictive identification of safety-critical situations to allow real-time interventions; determining the optimal sample size for reliable real-time crash prediction; and enhancing traffic flow monitoring to improve traffic management.

The scope of the project involves shifting from reactive to proactive road safety management using ubiquitous data gathering and processing in the digital transport system. Data sources include smartphones, wearables, connected vehicles, drones, and roadside sensors. The project leverages progress in computing power, location services accuracy, and video analytics to identify safety-critical situations using surrogate safety metrics. Artificial intelligence is used for crash prediction modeling to identify underlying risks and relationships within large datasets, enabling the prediction of safety-critical situations and guiding proactive crash avoidance measures.

Proposals should address the following aspects:
1. Development of an AI-enabled digital twin of traffic and infrastructure, integrating historical, current, and forecast data from various sources, including crowdsourcing, infrastructure sensors, environmental conditions, and road/traffic conditions. This digital twin should allow monitoring and preventive optimization of safety and traffic flow, addressing congestion and resilience.
2. Detailed analysis of the technical challenges associated with acquiring and using adequate and reliable big data from multiple sensors in the road transport system, and combining these datasets for proactive road safety analysis.
3. Development of methods and tools to predict safety-critical traffic situations at quantifiable risk levels based on real-time and historical data.
4. Accounting for biases in datasets and ensuring that AI-based models or algorithms are bias-free to improve safety effectively and fairly for all road users.
5. Detailed analysis of non-technical challenges related to data collection and sharing, including ethical, legal, and economic issues, and developing concepts to overcome these challenges in terms of privacy, data ownership, and organizational barriers.
6. Analysis of real-time countermeasures that can be taken to reduce instantaneous risk levels for all road users, complementary to existing Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) services.
7. Demonstration of the feasibility of risk predictions and targeted interventions.
8. Building consensus among relevant stakeholders on possible routes for deployment in coordination with other ITS services.

The project should also focus on establishing interoperability standards for data sharing, implementing the FAIR data principles, and leveraging existing practices in relevant Common European data spaces. It should explore ways to use valuable complementary data, such as metadata from crash databases, and link to initiatives for European data spaces. Research is expected to develop recommendations for updates to relevant standards and legal frameworks. International cooperation is advised, particularly with partners from the US, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. Knowledge and experience from other modes with similar approaches should be leveraged.

The general conditions include:
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
2. Eligible Countries: Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligible Conditions: Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: Described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021, described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions include:
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including a standard application form (HE RIA, IA) and a standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide. The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a Lump Sum MGA. Call-specific instructions include a detailed budget table (HE LS) and guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
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 — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

The budget overview includes several topics with a single-stage model, opening on September 16, 2025, and closing on January 20, 2026.

The indicative number of grants and budget for each topic are as follows:
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-01 - HORIZON-IA: EUR 24,000,000, around EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 3 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-04 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 30,000,000, around EUR 10,000,000 per grant, 3 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-05 - HORIZON-IA: EUR 15,000,000, around EUR 7,500,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-09 - HORIZON-CSA: EUR 1,500,000, around EUR 1,500,000 per grant, 1 grant
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D5-17 - HORIZON-IA: EUR 16,000,000, around EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-03 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 8,000,000, around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-04 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 5,000,000, around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 1 grant
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-05 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 4,000,000, around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 1 grant
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-06 - HORIZON-IA: EUR 4,000,000, around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 1 grant
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-07 - HORIZON-IA: EUR 22,000,000, around EUR 11,000,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-08 - HORIZON-IA: EUR 15,000,000, EUR 7,000,000 to EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-09 - HORIZON-CSA: EUR 3,500,000, around EUR 3,500,000 per grant, 1 grant
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-10 - HORIZON-IA: EUR 16,000,000, around EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-13 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 10,000,000, around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-14 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 10,000,000, around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 2 grants
HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-15 - HORIZON-RIA: EUR 4,000,000, around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 1 grant

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

Applicants are encouraged to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual provides guidance on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance and practical information. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs. The IT Helpdesk can assist with technical aspects of proposal submission. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks advise on standardisation. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outlines the roles and responsibilities of researchers. Partner Search can help find partner organizations.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call focuses on using AI and big data to predict and prevent road crashes, aiming to shift from reactive to proactive road safety management. It seeks to develop a digital twin of traffic and infrastructure, analyze technical and non-technical challenges, develop predictive tools, and demonstrate the feasibility of real-time interventions. The call encourages international cooperation and adherence to FAIR data principles, with a budget allocated across various research and innovation actions. The goal is to enhance road safety for all users through data-driven, AI-enabled solutions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated but can be inferred to include entities capable of conducting research and innovation activities, such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant organizations. The program encourages participation from various types of entities, as evidenced by the mention of Enterprise Europe Network support for SMEs and the general encouragement of international cooperation.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the "Type of MGA: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]" designation. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call encourages international cooperation and partner search, implying that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred or expected. Partner Search help is available to find a partner organisation for your proposal.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries, as this is a Horizon Europe program. However, the opportunity also mentions that non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding their participants, indicating a broader international scope. International cooperation is advised, in particular with projects or partners from the US, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

Target Sector: The program targets the transport sector, specifically focusing on road safety. It also heavily involves ICT, artificial intelligence, big data, and data analytics. The call falls under the broader thematic area of Climate, Energy and Mobility, as indicated by "HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility".

Mentioned Countries: United States, Japan, Singapore, Australia.

Project Stage: The project stage targets research, development, and innovation actions, as indicated by the "Type of action: HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions" designation. The scope suggests projects should move from research to demonstration of feasibility, implying a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range of 4-7.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €1.5 million to €30 million. For the specific topic HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-14, the budget is €10 million, with an indicative grant amount of around €5 million and 2 grants expected.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

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

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight. For HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-14, with a budget of 10 million EUR, around 5 million EUR is granted to 2 projects.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly mentioned, but as a Horizon Europe action, it is possible that co-funding may be part of the funding scheme.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, specifically topic HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-14, focuses on "Predicting and avoiding road crashes based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data." It seeks to leverage AI and big data analytics to proactively enhance road safety by predicting high-risk locations and safety-critical situations before crashes occur. The call encourages the development of AI-enabled digital twins of traffic and infrastructure, integrating diverse data sources to monitor and optimize safety and traffic flow. Projects should address technical and non-technical challenges, including data acquisition, bias mitigation, ethical and legal considerations, and real-time countermeasure development. International cooperation is encouraged, particularly with the US, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, with a budget of 10 million EUR and an indicative grant amount of around 5 million EUR for 2 projects, and the application process involves a single-stage submission. The call aims to foster safer and more efficient road transport systems through proactive, data-driven interventions.