Secretariat of the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance

The Secretariat of the ECAVA will support the successful operation of the ECAVA, assisting the European Commission and the ECAVA’s members in making the Alliance a sustainable stakeholder platform. It will deliver on the following outcomes:

• Development and promotion of the ECAVA’s Strategic roadmap.
• Organisation of the annual ECAVA General Assembly and Forum, as well as of the meetings of working group and Steering Committee, in close collaboration with the European Commission.
• Promotion of the Alliance’s outcomes, including through the operation of a website and by creating and publishing relevant communication content.

The action will help reinforce the competitiveness and innovation leadership of the European automotive sector and accelerate its digital transformation.

As part of the Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive Sector[1], the action will support the objectives and activities of the announced European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA) by acting as its Secretariat. The purpose of the ECAVA is to provide a discussion and advisory forum to coordinate and accelerate technological developments and investments in software-defined, AI-powered, connected and autonomous vehicle technologies. It will bring together a critical mass of Original Equipment Manufacturers, automotive suppliers, technology and tool providers, start-ups, academia, research and technology organisations, as well as relevant industrial associations active in the sector. The Secretariat will contribute to the success of the ECAVA by allowing it to function smoothly and effectively.

The Secretariat shall support the effective set-up, functioning and day-to-day work of the ECAVA. It should function in an agile and efficient way, with clear processes and roles and a capacity to adapt to evolving circumstances. It will work with the members and participants of the Alliance and with the European Commission. The tasks of the Secretariat will notably include:

• supporting the organisation and work of its General Assembly, working groups, Steering Committee, Alliance Forum and other meetings, including by editing the documents produced.
• Supporting the administrative processes of the ECAVA, notably by assisting the European Commission in the management of applications.
• Disseminating outcomes of the Alliance, notably through the creation and maintenance of a website, and building a dynamic ecosystem.
• Supporting the members of the Alliance in the development and update the ECAVA’s yearly roadmap.
• Providing the needed expertise, for instance legal expertise on competition rules.

The Secretariat will work in close collaboration with the action on the “Collaboration Platform for the European connected and automated vehicle of the future” (see section 2.2.2.9 of the Digital Europe Work Programme). While the Secretariat will focus on facilitating the organisation and processes of the Alliance, the Collaboration Platform will focus on coordinating joint developments in the area, driving the alignment on common technology platforms, and supporting the incubation, integration and maintenance of joint developments. The Secretariat shall agree on working arrangements with the Collaboration Platform.