The HEADSTART (Harmonised European Solutions for Testing Automated Road Transport) project is an EU funded project which started on the 1st of January of 2019 and will last for 3 years. The project consisted of 17 partners, under the coordination of IDIADA and Mr.Álvaro Arrúe, aims to define testing and validation procedures of Connected and Automated Driving functions including key technologies such as communications, cyber-security and positioning. The tests will be in both simulation and real-world fields to validate safety and security performance according to the key users’ needs.

The HEADSTART project will bring together the consortium with other European and national CAD stakeholders to cluster the most relevant existing initiatives, develop methodologies, procedures and tools and drive in a harmonized European solution for testing and validation of automated road vehicles. Within the lifetime of the project, relevant stakeholders will be able to join the experts’ network so as to configure together the methodologies used and also promote the project results’ adoption.

Headstart Objectives

  • Identify the existing methodologies, procedures and tools for testing, validation and certification;

  • Harmonise the existing testing and validation approaches;

  • Define and develop test, validation and certification methodologies and procedures for CAD functions;

  • Demonstrate the developed methodologies, procedures and tools through testing 4 CAD use cases;

  • Reach consensus by creating and managing an expert network of CAD testing to promote adoption of the project results considering multi-stakeholder needs.