7 May | San Senastián, Spain – The International Road Federation (IRF) continued advancing its work on connected and automated mobility through participation in the 3rd General Assembly of the iEXODDUS EU Project. Representing IRF, Head of Data, Programmes and Knowledge, Julia Funk joined project partners and stakeholders at a key stage in the initiative’s development as the project enters its second year.

Hosted by Ceit Research Center, the General Assembly brought together the iEXODDUS consortium for two days of technical discussions, collaboration and strategic alignment. Following a productive first day, partners continued reviewing progress across Work Packages, with discussions centred on technical integration, implementation priorities and next steps for the project.

The Assembly highlighted significant technical progress achieved across the consortium, spanning technical requirements, dedicated traffic datasets, resilient Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Driving (AD) solutions, infrastructure digital twins, validation planning and standardisation activities. As iEXODDUS moves further into its second year, the focus is increasingly shifting toward integrating these technologies into future ADAS and automated driving systems, with particular attention to robustness in challenging real-world conditions and changing Operational Design Domains (ODDs).

At the core of iEXODDUS is a response to one of automated mobility’s most persistent barriers: the limitations of ODDs. Current automated systems remain constrained by sensor performance, behavioural prediction gaps and inconsistent reliability in complex environments. These limitations continue to restrict wider deployment and large-scale adoption.

To address these constraints, iEXODDUS is advancing infrastructure-enabled intelligence designed to extend ODD frameworks and strengthen automated driving systems. This includes improvements in perception algorithms and the development of digital twin technologies that provide real-time contextual awareness of road environments. The objective is to enable automated vehicles to operate more safely and effectively across a broader range of conditions.

The initiative brings together 14 partners, including Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH and Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, alongside IRF in a collaborative effort to accelerate infrastructure-supported automation solutions through aligned research, policy and operational expertise.

IRF’s contribution to the project has also been reflected in recent international engagement. At the ITS European Congress 2026, Iona Kirkpatrick presented findings from iEXODDUS, highlighting how intelligent infrastructure, including roadside sensing systems, digital twins and real-time data services, can strengthen the operational capabilities of automated vehicles and address key reliability and safety gaps.

The General Assembly also provided an opportunity for partners to align ahead of the upcoming European Union review meeting in July, where the consortium will present recent technical achievements and collaborative progress to the European Commission and project stakeholders.

A sincere thank you to Ceit Research Center for hosting the meeting in San Sebastián and for the insightful laboratory tour, which gave consortium partners the opportunity to explore ongoing research activities and innovation facilities firsthand.