Establishing a European framework for connected, cooperative and automated driving
Leveraging the achievements of the previous Horizon project ARCADE, the FAME project addresses key challenges in advancing automated mobility, including a lack of harmonised legislation and stakeholder alignment across Member States. It also supports the commitment of the European Commission and the Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM Partnership) to provide a long-term coordination framework for large-scale testing and evaluation activities in Europe. “The mission/goal of FAME is to align research and innovation results on automated mobility in Europe, bringing them more visibility and making more efficient use of future R&I funding,” explains Stephane Dreher, FAME project coordinator and head of CCAM at ERTICO.
Building tools for success
FAME is developing a comprehensive European framework for CCAM testing on public roads. This framework integrates a standardised taxonomy, a common evaluation methodology (CEM), a CCAM Test Data Space for secure and efficient research data sharing, and a legal and ethical framework to guarantee compliance and cross-border alignment. The project also manages the Connected Automated Driving Knowledge Base that consolidates information related to CCAM R&I and testing based on results from European and national projects in the field. The platform centralises resources for researchers, policymakers and industry professionals across Europe. This holistic approach ensures that said resources and research results are used effectively for scaling up and deploying innovative solutions that benefit all of the EU.
Collaboration and knowledge sharing
FAME’s success lies in its capacity to build partnerships across Europe, and beyond. Working with 23 partners and over 2 000 stakeholders from the Joint Connected Automated Driving network, including industry leaders, policymakers and researchers, as well as international cooperation (Australia, Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates and United States), the project has established a strong network for collaboration and knowledge sharing, and supports the active participation of EU experts in international events and exchanges. Regular events such as workshops, webinars and the biennial EUCAD conference facilitate the transfer of insights and best practice as well as the alignment on future research priorities. The project also has strong cooperation with the Member States Representatives Group (SRG) from the CCAM Partnership which meets twice a year during each EU Council presidency. Member States are actively contributing to the Knowledge Base: today, 50 % of the R&I, testing and demonstration initiatives referenced on the platform are national. “Creating consensus on common challenges is vital,” notes Dreher. “We have developed a good approach to bring stakeholders together to share operational experiences.”
The future of automated mobility
As the project nears completion in June 2025, its tools and frameworks have already made a tangible impact. The first draft of the EU-CEM Handbook and the CCAM Test Data Space are available for proof testing. FAME also made a key contribution to the High-Level Dialogue meeting held under the EU-Belgium Presidency in June 2023 in Ghent, co-organising a session with the Flemish Ministry of Mobility on testing regulations and enhancing collaboration. “It’s gratifying to see Member States take our recommendations into account,” Dreher remarks. “It shows that FAME has reached beyond the research community and into real-world uses.”
Keywords
FAME, automated driving solutions, CCAM, connected automated driving network, research and innovation, framework, testing