Current market dynamics in EU reveal a gap between supply - existing N1 vehicles, and demand - evolving needs of urban logistics and climate targets. In 2023, 1.2M new LCV registrations were diesel-powered, and only 108,200 battery-electric. Last-mile logistics, the least efficient and most complex part of the supply chain, presents significant opportunities for improvements at vehicle and operations levels. Dynamic requirements and increasing environmental impact require innovative solutions from the automotive industry, both from high volume OEMs and new entrants. S2Z aims to capitalize on the benefits of both vehicle platforms in the N1 segment - represented by IVECO’s eDaily multi-purpose platform, and Alke’s ATX design-for-purpose platform, ultimately contributing to “Shifting to zero-emission logistics through right-sized, mission-focused, N1 e-LCVs”. To achieve this vision, S2Z proposes a 4-step user- and mission-centric design approach placing end-users and their needs at the core of all project activities. To this end, S2Z involves 5 LSPs & mobility operators as partners: Gruber, DHL, Diakinisis, Clem, DPD. As a result, we will co-develop and shape at least 6 novel N1 concepts with enhanced and safe functionalities leading to tighter market fit, particularly in the segments of e-commerce, returns and cold deliveries. Innovative concepts, from modular cargo bodies to vehicle control strategies with optimized tyres & brakes, as well as dual transport of people & freight, will be physically prototyped and tested in real-life operations in 6 pilot sites (BE, GR, IT, 2 x NO, PL). S2Z brings a multidisciplinar consortium of 30 partners from 10 countries to cover the complete automotive and logistics value chains, complemented by policymakers to effectively ensure our route to market: overcoming barriers for the adoption of S2Z eLCVs, reducing operational costs and environmental impact in scalable urban & sub-urban operations.

The European Green Deal defines 4 key elements for a sustainable mobility and automotive industry, namely: climate neutrality, zero pollution Europe, sustainable transport, and the transition to a circular economy. Digital technologies are a significant enabler for attaining the sustainability goals in mobility and transportation. The EC is taking initiatives to ensure that digital technologies such as AI, 5G, IoT and cloud/edge computing can accelerate the transition of the automotive industry to electrical, autonomous, connected, and shared vehicles. The current COVID-19 situation accelerates this trend. The AI4CSM project will develop advanced electronic components and systems (ECS) and architectures for future mass-market ECAS vehicles. This fuels the digital transformation in the automotive sector to support the mobility trends and accelerate the transition towards a sustainable green and digital economy. Having assembled some of Europe’s best partners from industry, research and academia, AI4CSM will deliver key innovations in technical areas including: sensor fusion and perception platforms; efficient propulsion and energy modules; advanced connectivity for cooperative mobility applications; vehicle/edge/cloud computing integration concepts; new digital platforms for efficient and federated computing; and intelligent components based on trustworthy AI techniques and methods. ECAS vehicles enabled by embedded intelligence and functional integration for future mobility, becomes the pivotal factor for the automotive sector to address the Green Deal principles. AI4CSM consists of 8 collaborative R&D clusters, gathering 41 partners from 10 countries. AI4CSM will reinforce user acceptance and affordability by convenience and services for the major transition to a diverse mobility. AI4CSM addresses the increasing demand of mobility, supporting future traffic concepts and strengthen the European automotive manufacturing base as a global industry leader.

MOSAIC addresses a grand challenge for European competitiveness: technological independence and filled fabs in the landscape of automated systems. By fostering innovation in Electronic Components and Systems (ECS), MOSAIC aims to propel Europe to excellence and digital autonomy, directly linked to the EU Chips Act. The project achieves this through a comprehensive strategy. It will develop next-generation ECS offering superior, cognitive system intelligence, enabling energy efficiency and robustness. These results will be tailored to the demands of automated systems, enabling rapid data processing and intuitive, AI-enabled decision- making. MOSAIC tackles the challenge of integrating diverse perception hardware configurations, ensuring that automated systems can perceive their surroundings in a non-invasive manner, avoiding a single point of failure, with unparalleled accuracy and decreased complexity. Additionally, the project emphasizes standardized communication protocols and interoperability, fostering a collaborative ecosystem across several industries, namely automotive, aerospace, maritime, industrial automation and infrastructures. By spearheading such advancements, MOSAIC empowers European ECS manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage. The project's achievements will be demonstrated in 31 cutting-edge technical showcases, indicatively global perception through 360° distributed radar, AI-enabled reasoning through magnetic field signature and resilient communications by means of non-terrestrial networks. 2 accompanying impact studies, will solidify Europe's position as a global leader in automated systems. MOSAIC leverages a pan-European consortium encompassing the entire ECS value chain, ensuring a comprehensive effort towards filling the European fabs and ensuring digital sovereignty. In essence, MOSAIC is an investment in Europe's future – a secure digital future of technological leadership, economic prosperity, and strategic independence.