Objective
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the defining technological enabler of Cooperative, Connected, and Automated Mobility (CCAM). As CCAM systems mature, intelligence must migrate from the cloud to the vehicle (Edge AI) to ensure real-time safety and operational resilience. However, deploying state-of-the-art AI on resource-constrained automotive hardware creates a massive technical challenge. ESSENTIAL addresses this by establishing a sovereign European Edge-AI ecosystem, bridging the critical gap between Europe's leadership in hardware and the missing layer of software intelligence. Responding to the EU Chips Act and Automotive Action Plan, ESSENTIAL secures European sovereignty by mastering both the hardware and software layers of Edge AI. The project unites key actors across the full value chain—including major silicon leaders like Infineon and NXP, OEMs, Tier-1s, and RTOs—to deliver a reference methodology and toolchain for trustworthy, efficient, and certifiable Edge-AI deployment. Technically, ESSENTIAL pioneers Foundational Co-Design, where software and hardware are engineered simultaneously rather than sequentially. This approach relies on three complementary pillars: intelligent data exploitation to ensure representative and privacy-preserving datasets for reliable training; hardware-aware optimization to adapt large neural networks to the strict computational envelope of automotive ECUs without compromising safety; and a continuous lifecycle to establish runtime assurance, drift detection, and retraining workflows. Building on the AITHENA methodology and complementing Chips JU and SDVoF initiatives, ESSENTIAL extends Trustworthy AI principles to the Edge. It ensures that transparency and robustness mandated by the EU AI Act are preserved even after model compression and optimization. By delivering an interoperable, sovereign Edge-AI stack, ESSENTIAL empowers the European automotive industry to lead in the era of software-defined mobility.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering automotive engineering
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence computational intelligence
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL5-2026-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
20009 Donostia San Sebastian
Spain
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.