The major challenge the European automotive industry is currently faced with is the 2020 CO2 fleet emission target of 95g/km and the envisaged further reduction of the CO2 emission limits in the European Union for the period after 2025. The European OEMs are also challenged by meeting Euro 6 tail pipe emission standards while already developing powertrains that need to fulfil future Euro 7 emission limits. In addition, the change of the emission test drive cycle from NEDC to WLTP and the implementation of real-driving emissions (RDE) imposes additional challenges onto the European car industry. The effort to meet the future fleet CO2 emission limits has been leading to the need for introduction of a broad range of electrified vehicle configurations into the portfolio of the European OEMs. Besides the increased development effort related to the electrified powertrain system itself, electrification also results in more derivatives from the standard platforms and vehicle models, which further increases the development effort and costs. An electrified powertrain is a highly complex mechatronic system, and meeting all functional and performance requirements efficiently demands a highly integrated development approach. Micro- and mild-hybrid architectures add moderate complexity to the conventional powertrain, however, the further step towards heavy electrification, aimed at a largely improved overall energy efficiency and unconditional emission legislation compliance under RDE conditions, requires advanced design and optimization methods and tools to master the related development challenges. This is exactly where the VISION-xEV project aims at providing its scientific and technical contribution: to develop and demonstrate a generic virtual component and system integration framework for the efficient development of all kinds of future electrified powertrain systems.

The rapid advancement of autonomous vehicle technology promises enhanced efficiency and safety in transportation. However, operational constraints within Operational Design Domains (ODDs), including issues in sensing, behaviour prediction, and reliability, limit the potential of automated vehicles. Expanding the ODD framework is critical to enable these vehicles to navigate challenging scenarios like construction zones, unmarked roads, and adverse weather conditions. This expansion involves robust perception and decision-making algorithms, reducing the need for human intervention and facilitating integration with human-driven vehicles. While the benefits are substantial, challenges like data collection, sensor technology, and regulatory frameworks must be addressed through interdisciplinary collaboration. The iEXODDUS project is at the forefront of advancing digital technologies and navigation services, aligning with goals for increased safety, security, and sustainability in the mobility sector, ultimately paving the way for safer and more reliable automated transportation. iEXODDUS shall meticulously assess existing ODDs to unveil limitations and areas for improvement, fostering a deep understanding of ODD challenges and opportunities. This analysis serves as the foundation for a framework to assess and categorize ODDs across diverse automated driving scenarios. A key focus area is the enhancement of sensor technologies and perception capabilities through cutting-edge data fusion methods, expanding ODDs beyond current limits while considering environmental factors like weather conditions and road infrastructure. iEXODDUS envisions autonomous vehicles travelling across Europe, resolving harmonization and legal issues, and making policy recommendations. Collaboration with industry stakeholders and aiming for real-world demonstrations will enable an industry-tailored approach towards automated driving systems with extended ODDs.

ShapeFuture will drive innovation in fundamental Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) that are essential for robust, powerful, fail-operational and integrated perception, cognition, AI-enabled decision making, resilient automation and computing, as well as communications, for highly automated vehicles. Its overarching vision is to bring ECS Innovation at the Heart of Europe's Mobility Transformation, thereby elevating Sovereignty by Perfecting Programmable ECS Solutions for Intelligent, Safe, Connected, and Highly Automated Vehicles. The project will result in the following main tangible outcomes: • Safety, security and reliability of in-vehicle systems to levels appropriate for mass-market deployment. • Availability and supply of leading-edge ECS for the European automotive supply chain and for OEMs to be at the forefront of technology developments in the 2030s. • Increased Accuracy and Robustness of ECS for perception with smaller form factors and lower power consumption. • ECS attributed with cognition features and improved human-Machine Interface (HMI). • ECS with cognitive processing and decision-making capabilities. • ECS for resilient automation and communications. • Increased technology acceptance that will also lead to business sovereignty safeguard. 15 demonstrators and 2 impact studies will showcase the project’s achievements and their capability to deliver innovations and secure future application advances in core markets for European society – Mobility, Green Deal, Digital Society, Safety and Industry. The project innovations will leverage the expertise of world-renowned industrial (5 OEMs, 24 Tier-1, Tier-2 and technology providers) and 12 research partners along the complete automotive and semiconductor value chains, providing Europe with a competitive edge in a growing market. Importantly, ShapeFuture will contribute to ensuring European ECS Sovereignty by shaping the future of ECS in mobility.