Next-generation environment perception for real world CCAM operations: Error-free and secure technologies to improve energy-efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and circularity (CCAM Partnership)

1. Availability of validated prototypes of next-generation vehicle and infrastructure-based environment perception technologies that deliver robust, reliable and trustworthy CCAM operations and can anticipate and avoid foreseeable risks and safety-critical situations in complex real-world conditions
2. Improved understanding of the capabilities and limits of automated CCAM perception systems to detect, process and respond to on-site early warnings (street design cues, audio/visual/olfactory signals, weather changes, human intentions of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users)
3. Enhanced energy-efficiency of CCAM sense–think–act systems across vehicle, infrastructure and cloud-edge domains, coupled with increased performance, security and reliability; contributing to reduced climate and environmental footprints of CCAM systems
4. Standardisation and adoption of modular, reusable and upgradable software and hardware platforms, with scalable deployment concepts that reduce costs and improve affordability, following a circular eco-design approach (efficient material use, reduced waste, and component repair/reuse)

Proposals must comprehensively address all of the following:
1. Advancements across all steps of the sense–control–act chain for vehicle- and infrastructure-based perception, including safety, trustworthiness and disruption management
2. Utilisation of digital enabling technologies (AI at-the-edge, machine learning, data spaces, reference scenarios, modular software architectures) in line with the EU Trustworthy AI strategy
3. Design of modular, reusable, open software platforms ensuring transparency, explainability, verification and safety assessment
4. Energy-efficiency, circularity and eco-design: reduce energy/resource consumption in production and operation; ensure reusability, reparability and upgradability while maintaining high performance
5. Cost-reduction via scalability, modularity and standardisation for financially viable, widespread deployment
6. Support for remote assistance as a transitional tool toward higher autonomy levels and expanded ODDs
7. Co-design integration of electronic hardware architectures and software stacks, leveraging where possible building blocks from the SDVoF initiative (hardware abstraction layer, SDV middleware, API framework)
8. Complementarity and coordination with projects under Chips JU (SDVoF) and Horizon Europe Cluster 4/Cluster 5 (e.g., HORIZON-CL5-2024-D6-01-04, HORIZON-CL5-2024-D6-01-01), plus other relevant EU/national initiatives for coordinated validation and large-scale piloting
9. Consideration of societal, ethical, socio-economic and legal aspects in technical requirements, including accessibility and inclusiveness; engagement of institutional users and citizen-science approaches (e.g., Cultural Road, Diversify–CCAM)
10. International cooperation, fostering links between the EU ecosystem and partners in the US, Japan and other strategic third countries, addressing legal, cultural, historical and social particularities of European roads and user behaviours
11. Commitment to report to and support KPI monitoring of the co-programmed CCAM Partnership and to apply the European Common Evaluation Methodology (EU-CEM) for CCAM