IRF is pushing to enable resilient Operational Design Domains (ODDs) for automated driving systems across Europe’s diverse transport networks to support projects such as Augmented Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (ACCAM) and iEXODDUS.  

ACCAM, coordinated by the Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL), consists of a multi-stakeholder Consortium of 26 Partners, from 12 European countries and one Associated partner from Switzerland, the International Road Federation (IRF).

iEXODDUS, on the other hand, is co-Funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme (GA No. 101146091) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). iEXODDUS, coordinated by Virtual Vehicle (ViF), consists of a multi-stakeholder Consortium of 14 Partners, from 5 European countries and one Associated partner from Switzerland, the IRF.

Automated transport systems

ODD touches on areas such as Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs), future mobility, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), resilient autonomous driving, smart infrastructure, mobility innovation and much more.  

IRF is leading conversations around the links between global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)-denied localisation, Digital Twin integration, open standards and governance models.  

As a global road transport leader, the IRF is also exploring essential elements towards scaling Automated Vehicles (AVs) beyond pilot zones into mainstream deployment using policy recommendations and roadmaps towards harmonised Physical and Digital Infrastructure (PDI) for large-scale CCAM deployment.  

ODD Extension for Automated Driving  

The ODD defines the conditions under which an Automated Driving System (ADS) can operate safely. ADS are currently limited by strictly defined ODDs, often excluding challenging environments such as tunnels, urban canyons and construction zones.  

The objective is to extend ODD boundaries so that they become a foundation for safer, more inclusive and compatible autonomous mobility across Europe. Without the reliable localisation and harmonisation frameworks, AVs risk being confined to narrow use cases.  

GNSS-denied Localisation  

Today’s AVs depend heavily on GNSS for positioning, however safety is compromised in areas where signals become blocked or distorted. To address this, IRF is also supporting the iEXODDUS project, an initiative that introduces multi-sensor localisation which blends camera-based mapping for high-precision navigation, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) anchors for tunnel and urban environments, HD maps and digital twins for environmental awareness and map-less perception modes for dynamic, unmapped roads.  

This layered approach ensures resilience and redundancy which allows vehicles to maintain safe positioning when GNSS is unavailable.  

Digital Twins in AV Deployment 

Digital twin architecture provides real-time, high-fidelity models for road infrastructure. By harmonising these across Europe, ADS can be seamlessly integrated into high-definition maps to enable cross-border interoperability and real-time safety validation.  

The EU has already recognised the importance of Digital Twins in mobility as part of its Annual Union Work Programme for Standardisation. The next step is ensuring that AV-specific standards for Digital Twins support simulation testing and live operational deployment. 

ODD Extensions for Europe’s CCAM Strategy  

Resilient localisation and harmonised standards are key enablers for extending the ODD of automated vehicles.  

These efforts have a direct impact on the reduction of road traffic accidents, deployment in environments such as city centres and cross-border corridors, assurance of seamless AV operation across Europe and transparent governance which includes clear liability structures.  

The expected outcome is a Recommendation Catalogue that will be submitted to the CCAM Platform Association to support feedback to policy makers and regulators with a view to substantiating deployment topics and implementation of large CCAM initiatives.  

These recommendations aim to guide industry, regulators, and cities in shaping resilient CCAM ecosystems.  

Sharing the results

Writers Iona Kirkpatrick^a, Karin Baier-Müller^b, Selim Solmaz^c, Martin Kirchengast^c, Jakob Reckenzaun^c will present a paper on these recommendations during Q1 of 2026 at the Transport Research Arena (TRA 2026) Conference.

The TRA 2026 is the foremost European Conference on Transport and Mobility gathering researchers, industry professionals, public authorities and other stakeholders from all transport modes to share knowledge, foster collaboration and address challenges and opportunities in the transport and mobility sectors.

The paper will explore ODD extension strategies, localisation in GNSS-denied environments, standardisation of data and interfaces, and governance models for trusted deployment.

Focusing on challenging scenarios such as tunnels and urban canyons, the modular localisation framework that integrates infrastructure-assisted sensing, onboard odometry and inertial navigation to ensure continuous positioning without GNSS will also be presented.