The International Road Federation (IRF) has recently presented the Augmented CCAM (Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility) project at three major international events, reaffirming the need for harmonised and future-ready infrastructure to support the safe and scalable deployment of automated vehicles. These engagements in Melbourne, Seville, and Madrid, highlighted both the technical challenges and the actionable frameworks being developed to assess, prioritise, and adapt Physical, Digital, and Communication Infrastructure (PDI) across diverse operational contexts. 

Addressing Fragmentation in Infrastructure Readiness

The deployment of CCAM technologies across Europe remains constrained by inconsistencies in infrastructure readiness. Road operators often lack structured tools to evaluate existing assets, prioritise upgrades, and align interventions with vehicle automation requirements. The Augmented CCAM project, funded by the Horizon Europe programme and coordinated by FEHRL, aims to resolve this gap by delivering a harmonised classification system and suite of assessment tools. These are tested in real-world and simulated environments across seven test sites in France, Latvia, and Spain. 

NTRO International Transport Conference, Melbourne (7–9 May 2025)

At the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) Conference in Australia, IRF Acting Director General Gonzalo Alcaraz hosted a technical workshop that gathered over 80 professionals from road, rail, and transport infrastructure sectors. The session focused on the challenges of decarbonising transport and enhancing safety performance, providing a timely platform to introduce the Augmented CCAM project’s approach to infrastructure planning for automation.

ITS European Congress, Seville (19–21 May 2025)

IRF Project Manager Agostina Massarini delivered a high-level presentation during the session titled “CCAM: Challenges Towards Large Scale Deployment”, organised by FACTUAL. The discussions focused on the criticality of foundation-level infrastructure alignment, calling for interoperability in PDI elements to enable seamless mixed-fleet operation. Notably, the project’s 5-tier readiness framework was presented as a tool for linking PDI characteristics with vehicle automation levels (SAE Levels 0–5), thus directly supporting the CAV “Sense–Plan–Act” architecture.  Among the issues discussed were infrastructure localisation, digital twin orchestration, and dynamic mapping. All vital for automated driving systems that rely on anticipatory data inputs and robust communication protocols.

ASECAP Days, Madrid (26–28 May 2025) 

The 52nd ASECAP Days provided a critical European policy and operator-focused audience. The conference, themed “Challenges of Future Mobility: The Role of Road Infrastructure”, aligned closely with the Augmented CCAM project’s objectives. IRF participated in discussions around investment models, electric vehicle infrastructure, and alignment with EU strategies such as the Green Deal and Fit for 55. 

On 27 May, IRF presented the ACCAM PDI Support Classification Schema, which systematically categorises 81 PDI elements across 10 clusters (e.g., road surface, traffic control, digital enablers). These are evaluated for their contribution to automation, safety, traffic efficiency, and investment feasibility in highway, urban, and rural settings.

Application and Future Relevance

By harmonising infrastructure classification and providing evidence-based evaluation tools, the Augmented CCAM project equips road authorities with practical frameworks to address the uncertainties surrounding CCAM deployment. The initiative supports EU-level objectives such as the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and builds capacity for consistent infrastructure adaptation across borders. 

In bringing these findings to the international stage, IRF has reinforced the need to shift from fragmented, vehicle-centric strategies to a more integrated, systems-based approach to automation. The emphasis lies not only in enabling the technological deployment of CAVs but in ensuring that infrastructure (physical, digital, and communicative) can support that transition safely and efficiently.

References

• European Commission, Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (2020) 

• SAE International, Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems (J3016_202104) 

• Augmented CCAM Project