Advancing remote operations to enable the sustainable and smart mobility of people and goods based on operational and societal needs (CCAM Partnership) – Societal Readiness Pilot

The main goal of this opportunity is to explore how remote operations can enhance the operational and societal aspects of Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) solutions. It focuses on integrating new technologies with human-centered design to meet societal needs, preparing for advanced demonstrator projects. Key areas include the transport of people and goods, business models, infrastructure, safety, operator skills, societal readiness, and sustainability. The opportunity also considers the role of generative AI and active engagement with stakeholders. It is open to projects in countries listed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme, with some additional non-EU participants eligible under specific provisions.

• Projects must address societal readiness by following the Societal Readiness pilot instructions for Climate, Energy, and Mobility.
• They should use an interdisciplinary approach to link technology and societal needs.
• Inclusion of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) expertise is required.
• Focus on the interaction between social and technological factors.
• Proposals must respect page limits and layout requirements as described in the official guidelines.

Example projects:

• A project developing remote operation systems for automated public transport, integrating user feedback from diverse communities.
• An initiative that designs new business models for remote-operated goods delivery, involving both technology developers and social scientists.
• A project that studies operator training requirements and societal acceptance for integrating generative AI in smart mobility solutions.

• Personnel costs for project staff
• Costs for equipment and tools needed for the project
• Travel and accommodation expenses for project activities
• Subcontracting specific tasks or expertise
• Materials and supplies directly related to the project
• Costs for stakeholder engagement activities
• Workshops, meetings, and dissemination events
• Data collection and analysis expenses
• Communication and outreach costs

Expenses are covered as a lump sum. All costs must follow the detailed rules set out in the Horizon Europe simplified costs decisions. Some restrictions may apply as described in the official guidelines.

• Budget for this Call: 12.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 2
• Budget per project: 6.000.000€

• Must form a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from three different eligible countries, with at least one partner from an EU Member State.
• All participants must be established in EU Member States or Horizon‑associated countries, each demonstrating sufficient financial and operational capacity.
• The consortium must include expertise in engineering/CCAM technology as well as Social Sciences and Humanities to support the required Societal Readiness approach.
• The proposal must align with CCAM objectives by addressing remote operation for SAE Level 4 automated driving systems, involving stakeholder-driven co‑creation, human‑centred design, safety validation, privacy, liability, cyber‑security, infrastructure readiness, business models, operator training and legal framework analysis.
• Projects must follow the Societal Readiness Pilot methodology—integrating SSH expertise across tasks, allocating resources, and producing early and final public Societal Readiness reports.
• Demonstrations must achieve TRL 5 by project end, adhering to EU‑CEM evaluation methodology and aligned with previous CCAM projects like SUNRISE.
• Security-sensitive communication components are restricted under relevant EU rules.
• Standard Horizon Europe ethics, integrity, exclusion and compliance requirements apply.