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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, Predicting and avoiding road crashes based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data, aims to foster proactive road safety management. The core objective is to develop and demonstrate solutions that use AI and big data to predict high-risk locations and safety-critical situations before crashes occur, enabling real-time interventions. This shifts road safety from a reactive to a proactive approach. The grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC, focusing on the transportation sector, specifically road safety, and is deeply rooted in technology (Artificial Intelligence, big data, digital twins). Target recipients are organizations capable of conducting Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), typically research entities, universities, and companies (SMEs and larger enterprises) often working in consortia. The geographic scope for receiving funding includes EU Member States, with international cooperation advised with countries like the US, Japan, Singapore, and Australia for knowledge sharing, but funding eligibility for these is not explicitly stated in the provided text. Key filtering criteria for initial screening are a strong focus on AI/big data applications for road safety, the development of predictive tools and digital twins for traffic and infrastructure, and addressing both technical and non-technical challenges of data utilization in this domain. This grant is part of the Horizon Europe Work Programme, indicating it's a recurring funding opportunity within the broader programme context.

Financial Structure

This grant operates under a lump sum contribution model, aiming to simplify financial management and focus on project performance. Here's what you need to know: Funding Amounts and Limitations

The total budget allocated for this specific topic (HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-14) is EUR 10,000,000 for the year 2025.
The expected contribution per grant is between EUR 5,000,000 (minimum) and EUR 5,000,000 (maximum). Two such grants are expected to be awarded for this topic.
The grant funding rate is typically 100.0% of eligible costs, as it is a Research and Innovation Action (RIA).

Eligible and Ineligible Costs

The lump sum will be calculated based on an approximation of beneficiaries' underlying actual costs, which would be eligible under a standard actual costs grant.
Eligible Cost Categories (if they would be eligible in an actual costs grant):
- Personnel costs: Employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons, SME owners, natural person beneficiaries.
- Subcontracting costs.
- Purchase costs: Travel and subsistence, equipment (depreciation or capitalised), other goods, works, and services.
- Other cost categories: Financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, transnational/virtual access to research infrastructure, PCP/PPI procurement costs.
Indirect costs: A 25% flat rate is applied to eligible direct costs.
Ineligible costs: Any costs that would be ineligible under standard Horizon Europe rules must be excluded from the lump sum proposal.

Matching Fund and Co-financing

The co-financing principle applies: the total estimated costs of the action should be greater than the estimated Union contribution (if the EU contribution covers only part of the total costs).
Reimbursement rates (like 100% for RIA) are factored into the calculation of the lump sum, ensuring compliance with co-financing principles.

Payment Schedule and Mechanisms

Payments are work package-based: The lump sum contribution will be paid when corresponding work packages have been properly implemented and conditions met, as defined in Annex 1 of the grant agreement.
Payments do not depend on costs actually incurred. There are generally no financial ex-post audits.
Pre-financing will follow standard Horizon Europe rules.
A portion (between 5% and 8%) of the total lump sum is retained as contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
If work package conditions are not met, payments are withheld but can be made in subsequent reporting periods if conditions are met. If never met, the grant amount is reduced.

Financial Guarantees and Reporting

No explicit financial guarantees are mentioned beyond the Mutual Insurance Mechanism contribution.
Beneficiaries are not obligated to document costs incurred for the action to the granting authority, but must maintain their own accounting records under national law.
Reporting focuses on technical implementation and fulfilment of conditions for releasing lump sum contributions per work package.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible organizations for this HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) grant must generally adhere to the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes regarding admissibility, eligible countries, financial, and operational capacity requirements. While not exhaustively listed, typical participants for RIA grants include:

Universities and Research Organizations: Entities engaged in scientific research and technological development.
SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) and Enterprises: Companies, both small and large, involved in technology development, data analytics, and transportation solutions.
Public Bodies: Potentially includes road authorities or municipal transport departments, which could benefit from and contribute to the research.

Specific Qualifications and Certifications: * Applicants must comply with rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment. * Projects are subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks. Geographic Location Requirements: * Organizations must be established in EU Member States to be eligible for funding. While international cooperation is encouraged with countries outside the EU (e.g., US, Japan, Singapore, Australia), their direct funding eligibility through this specific EU grant is not confirmed in the provided text. Consortium Requirements: * This grant requires a consortium approach, as indicated by the 'Research and Innovation Actions' type, the mention of 'large multi-beneficiary projects' in the lump sum document, and the explicit allowance for 'Partner Search'. Projects are expected to involve multiple partners collaborating on complex research. Exclusion Criteria: * Standard Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes apply for exclusion conditions. No specific additional exclusions are provided.

Application Process

Application Timeline and Deadlines

Submission System Opening Date: Expected to be on September 16, 2025.
Application Deadline: January 20, 2026, at 00:00 UTC+00.
The submission process is a single-stage procedure.

Required Documentation and Materials Applicants will need to prepare and submit a comprehensive proposal package, including: * Application Form Templates: Specific to this call, available in the Submission System. * Detailed Budget Table (HE LS): Essential for outlining the proposed lump sum breakdown per work package and per beneficiary, based on estimated eligible costs. * Model Grant Agreement (Lump Sum MGA): Provides the legal framework for the grant. Application Procedure and Steps

Preparation: Familiarize yourself with the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Lump Sum Decision for general rules and financial guidelines.
Budget Estimation: Prepare a detailed budget estimate for the lump sum contribution, broken down by work package and beneficiary, ensuring it aligns with eligible cost categories.
Proposal Submission: Submit the application through the online Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System.

Types of Support Offered for Applicants Various resources are available to assist potential applicants: * Online Manual: A guide on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. * Horizon Europe Programme Guide: Detailed guidance on the programme's structure, budget, and political priorities. * Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions on submission, evaluation, and grant management. * Research Enquiry Service: For general questions about European research and EU Research Framework Programmes. * National Contact Points (NCPs): Provide guidance, practical information, and assistance in participating in Horizon Europe (available in EU and many non-EU/non-associated countries). * Enterprise Europe Network (EEN): Offers advice to businesses, particularly SMEs, on EU research funding. * IT Helpdesk: For technical issues related to the Funding & Tenders Portal. * European IPR Helpdesk: Assists with intellectual property issues. * CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks: Advise on standardisation in project proposals. * Partner Search: A tool to help find partner organizations for your proposal. Project Implementation Timeline and Reporting Obligations

Project Planning: Projects should detail work packages and associated resources, as payments are linked to their successful completion.
Reporting: Emphasis is on technical implementation and verification that work package conditions are met. There is no obligation to report actual costs to the granting authority.
Post-award Requirements: Compliance with ethics, research integrity, dissemination and exploitation of results, intellectual property management, and gender equality are key post-award obligations.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals for this grant are evaluated based on the standard Horizon Europe award criteria, with specific considerations for the lump sum funding model and the grant's objectives: Primary Evaluation Criteria

Excellence: Assesses the quality of the project's research and innovation aspects, including the soundness of the proposed methodology, the high-risk/high-gain aspects, and the scientific/technological breakthrough potential.
Impact: Evaluates the potential effects of the project results, including their contribution to the expected outcomes, societal benefits (e.g., road safety improvements, traffic management), and potential for exploitation and dissemination.
Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation: Examines the project's work plan, appropriateness of resources, management structures, and the competence and complementarity of the consortium members.

Innovation Requirements and Technological Advancement

Proposals must detail the development of an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled digital twin of traffic and infrastructure.
Expected to develop methods and tools to predict safety-critical traffic situations.
Require demonstration of the feasibility of such risk predictions and targeted interventions.
Applicants should explore interoperability standards for data sharing and leverage FAIR data principles.
Research should lead to recommendations for updates to relevant standards and legal frameworks.

Social Impact Expectations

Projects are expected to contribute to proactive management of road safety by identifying high-risk locations and situations before crashes.
Must account for biases in datasets to ensure bias-free AI models that improve safety effectively in a fair, non-discriminatory way for all road users.
Expected to enhance traffic monitoring and lead to more effective traffic management by foreseeing unexpected or disruptive events.

Competitive Advantage Factors

Proposals that effectively integrate diverse data sources (smart phones, wearables, connected vehicles, drones, road-side sensors, sociodemographic, economic, behavioral driving data, security cameras) will be highly competitive.
Demonstrating a strong understanding and plan for addressing non-technical challenges related to privacy concerns, questions of data ownership, organisational barriers will be crucial.
Consortia demonstrating international cooperation (e.g., with partners from US, Japan, Singapore, Australia) and links to European data spaces initiatives are encouraged.

Quality Thresholds

Experts with financial knowhow will check the budget estimate based on relevant benchmarks on costs and resources (market prices, statistical/historical data) to ensure resources are appropriate for activities and expected outputs.
The detailed cost estimation must include only costs eligible for an actual costs grant and exclude ineligible costs.

Cross-cutting Themes

Inclusion and Diversity: Ensuring AI models are bias-free and non-discriminatory is a explicit requirement.
Sustainability: Focus on proactive management for long-term road safety and preventively optimising both safety and traffic flow, addressing congestion and resilience.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance Requirements

Adherence to Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
Compliance with Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment.
Projects are subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

Data Protection and Privacy Regulations

Given the extensive use of data from various sources (smart phones, wearables, connected vehicles, crowdsourcing, security cameras), proposals must analyse in detail also the non-technical challenges associated with this approach.
Specific consideration must be given to privacy concerns, questions of data ownership, and organisational barriers related to collecting and sharing large amounts of data.
Concepts should be developed to overcome these challenges, demonstrating a clear understanding of ethical, legal and economic issues.
Emphasis on implementing FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles.

Ethical Standards and Requirements

Developed AI-based models or algorithms must be bias-free, ensuring the safety of all road users will be improved effectively in a fair, non-discriminatory way.
The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment should be consulted.

Intellectual Property Policies

Management of intellectual property is a post-award requirement, typically governed by the Model Grant Agreement. Specific policies would be detailed there.

Risk Management and Security Requirements

While not explicitly detailed for this call, risk management is an inherent part of project planning for large-scale research actions. The lump sum model shifts the financial risk from the funder to the beneficiary for cost overruns, focusing control on technical completion.
Protection of European communication networks implies security considerations for data transmission and infrastructure.

Unique Aspects and Strategic Opportunities

AI-enabled Digital Twin: A central and innovative element, integrating historical, current, and forecast data to monitor and preventively optimise both safety and traffic flow.
Proactive Road Safety: Shifting from reactive crash investigation to proactive intervention using predictive analytics.
Leveraging Diverse Data: Integrating data from a wide array of sources (crowdsourcing, IoT, vehicular data, environmental, socio-demographic).
International Cooperation: Encouraged with US, Japan, Singapore and Australia for knowledge and experience exchange.
Standardization: Research is expected to develop recommendations for updates to relevant standards and legal frameworks.
European Data Spaces: Projects should explore links to initiatives for European data spaces.

Potential Challenges or Limitations

Data Acquisition and Use: Significant technical challenges related to acquisition and use of adequate and reliable big data from multiple sensors, and combining diverse datasets meaningfully.
Non-technical Barriers: Overcoming ethical, legal, and economic issues related to data collection and sharing (privacy, data ownership) is a critical challenge.
Bias Mitigation: Ensuring AI models are truly bias-free is complex and requires careful consideration.
Interoperability: Establishing interoperability standards for data sharing across different systems.

Cross-cutting Considerations

Inclusion: Ensuring AI fairness and non-discrimination for all road users.
Data Governance: Emphasis on responsible data practices, privacy, and ownership.
Systemic Approach: Integration of results with existing Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) services.

Grant Details