Orchestration of heterogeneous actors in mixed traffic within the CCAM ecosystem (CCAM Partnership)

ExpectedOutcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

1. System approach towards traffic management that integrates the operations and needs of a wide range of road network users (vehicle drivers, passengers and different kinds of VRUs) traffic management centres and public authorities as well as service providers, (public transport/commercial/logistics fleet managers, infrastructure industry) within the mobility ecosystem.
2. Safer, more efficient and sustainable traffic management through the orchestration of heterogeneous actors in mixed traffic^[1] within the CCAM ecosystem.
3. Proven orchestration schemes in traffic management for operations of all types of vehicles and the different CCAM systems in real-time CCAM traffic conditions in urban and/or motorway environments.
4. Governance and operational models that allow for better cooperation and collaboration of all relevant actors in the orchestration of traffic management through new mobility management for all modes and road types.
5. Mobility management tools to seamlessly integrate CCAM systems and services including fleets of vehicles, public transport, logistics operations, demand management needs as well as governance and business models into the transport system.
6. Strategic transport planning methods for all modes in the CCAM ecosystem including individual as well as public transport.

Scope:

The aim is to advance on the orchestration of heterogeneous actors in mixed traffic by building on, linking and integrating the following streams of research results and innovation challenges^[2]:

1. Smart routing and interactive traffic management using connectivity and C-ITS for the orchestration of heterogeneous actors in mixed traffic within the CCAM ecosystem^[3].
2. Solutions for ensuring the safety and efficiency of early CCAM deployment in the interaction of drivers, riders, passengers, traffic participants and automated systems performing driving tasks in mixed traffic^[4].
3. Coherent approach towards managing fleets from an overall system perspective in real-life urban demonstrations of CCAM via testing and demonstrations in large sets of traffic environments with an emphasis on different fleets, i.e. groups of vehicles (including e.g. public transport/commercial/logistics fleets, fleets operated by public or private transport operators) that are typically controlled/supervised/managed by heterogeneous actors^[5].
4. New governance and operational models facilitating the orchestration schemes of traffic management that are inclusive towards all heterogeneous actors in traffic management^[6].

Proposed actions will develop and demonstrate an orchestration scheme for traffic management energy according to priorities set by traffic authorities (including targets) that will facilitate the coexistence of heterogeneous actors or fleets on the road network (individual vehicles, public transport, Vulnerable Road Users) as well as, at different levels of vehicle automation (including human driven vehicles) in mixed traffic. Actions should contribute to the transformation of traffic management from managing traffic volumes to the management of vehicles (or even travellers) taking benefit from the advantages of fleet management (groups of vehicles that share the same attributes). Vehicles should be considered in their different sizes and usages, as well as by the mobility service they provide (private, public, shared, pooled etc.). Proposed actions should address both the transport of people and goods within automated fleets (commercial/logistics fleets, fleets operated by public or private transport operators) and individual vehicles (CCAM- or conventional vehicles, including micro-mobility) that are well integrated in the entire traffic management system.

Proposed actions are expected to develop and demonstrate orchestration schemes for operations in mixed traffic by addressing all of the following aspects:

1. Defining the comprehensive requirements (including data exchange) for the orchestration schemes with regards to the heterogeneous actors in mixed traffic (automated and non-automated traffic, people and goods and different modes).
2. Developing traffic management tools that are essential for the coordination of mixed automated and non-automated mobility. These management tools should be robust and able to address uncertainty due to uncertain technological developments, performances, services and business cases that go beyond what is available through current research results. Tools should support orchestration by, among others, integration of ad-hoc and manoeuvre coordination (SAE cooperation classes^[7]), efficient route guidance and capacity aware demand management.
3. Defining and demonstrating business and governance models (including for public actors) for the orchestration of traffic management in real-time CCAM traffic conditions in urban and motorway environment, allowing actors to address their needs on a win-win basis.
4. Developing measures and KPIs to demonstrate the benefits and added value of orchestration for traffic management actions (in terms of traffic efficiency, energy efficiency, safety etc.).
5. Demonstrating a process that ensures trust in the traffic orchestration scheme proposed as well as sufficient accessibility to quality data for all traffic actors involved and readiness for large-scale demonstration actions.

In order to achieve the expected outcomes, international cooperation is encouraged, in particular with Japan and the United States but also with other relevant strategic partners in third countries.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility’ (CCAM). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on results to the European Partnership ‘Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility’ (CCAM) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs^[8].

Specific Topic Conditions:

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

[1]The term ‘heterogeneous actors’ comprises the heterogeneity of Road actors such as fleet managers, service providers, traffic managers, individual vehicles, Public Transport operators and users, Road operators and contractors and VRUs. Their actions differ due to their position in the ecosystem, their objectives and behaviour, which have an impact on traffic flow and other actors in the road network). The term ‘mixed traffic’ refers to different levels of vehicle automation (including human driven vehicles) present in the road network. Orchestration of heterogeneous actors in mixed traffic takes place when the managing authorities take the needs and plans of all relevant actors into account when planning and directing traffic flows in the system also balancing the priorities set by the public.

[2]CCAM Partnership, Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda 2021-2027, December 2021, Lessons Learned from completed projects, Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021-2022, Climate, Energy and Mobility, European Commission Decision C(2021)4200 of 15 June 2021, SOCRATES 2.0: Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2016-EU-TM-0148-S 2017, TM 2.0 Innovation Platform on interactive traffic management.

[3]Building on the results of SOCRATES 2.0 pilots reflecting the TM 2.0 concept on smart routing and interactive traffic management.

[4]Expanding on the results of Horizon 2020 projects (such as CoExist, TransAID, INFRAMIX, MAVEN). While the solutions above should be embedded in a technology-neutral approach, actions should ensure that future technological options such as photonics applications (Photonics Partnership “Green and efficient lighting for future mobility”) are also addressed, if possible.

[5]Expanding on the results of the projects of SHOW and HiDrive.

[6]Building on the work and results of SOCRATES 2.0 and TM 2.0 as well as expanding on the results of the projects being funded under HORIZON-CL5-2022-D6-01-04: Integrate CCAM services in fleet and traffic management systems (CCAM Partnership).

[7]SAE J 3216, Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Cooperative Driving Automation for On-Road Motor Vehicles.

[8]‘Sustainable Urban Mobility Indicators”, as well as other published impact evaluation methodologies such as the EU-CEM, should be used to evaluate the impact of the solutions as appropriate.