We interviewed Mr. Eusebiu Catana, Head of Innovation at ERTICO-ITS Europe, about the Pilot 2. This pilot scales Continental’s innovations by integrating a Software Defined Vehicle (SDV), transforming it into an active hub for computation, data exchange, and context-aware connectivity.

What is the overall purpose of Pilot 2, and how is it serving O-CEI, the Cloud/Edge/IoT continuum, and the automotive vertical?

Pilot 2 represents the first comprehensive approach to assessing the impact of both fuel and electric vehicles across multiple use cases related to Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV). Its central goal is to provide a replicable, standards-based pathway to demonstrate how SDV technologies can accelerate decarbonisation, improve energy efficiency, and enable seamless digital integration across the automotive and energy ecosystems.

To understand why this is so important, it helps to compare two design philosophies.

In the traditional (hardware-first) approach, the vehicle design began with physical engineering (chassis, engine, drivetrain) and then software was layered on to support features. Software improvements tended to be incremental and constrained by the existing hardware architecture. This model limited adaptability, slowed innovation cycles, and made it harder to continuously improve vehicles once they left the factory.

In the modern (software-first) SDV approach SDVs flip that model. Software, connectivity, and the computing architecture become the core of the vehicle design. The physical car is built around a flexible digital backbone that supports over-the-air updates, modular apps, AI-driven control, and deep integration with cloud and edge services. This enables vehicles to evolve continuously, respond in real time to grid conditions, perform predictive maintenance, and offer new services without hardware changes.

For O-CEI, this is highly important, as Pilot 2 is a real-world validation of the project’s CEI continuum vision — showing how cloud orchestration, edge HPC (e.g., Continental’s CAEdge platform), and IoT sensors combine to deliver trusted, low-latency services for mobility and energy domains. It showcases cross-domain data governance, identity management, and secure APIs enabling vehicles to act as active nodes in the CEI ecosystem.

Within the Cloud/Edge/IoT landscape, the pilot demonstrates the technical feasibility and benefits of moving compute to the edge (in-vehicle HPC) while coordinating with cloud services for training, analytics, and federation. It highlights how edge AI processes sensor data in real time for safety and efficiency, while the cloud manages lifecycle tasks, model updates, and cross-fleet optimisation.

For the automotive vertical, SDV redefines vehicle value: from a static product to a dynamic, upgradable service. This opens new business models (mobility-as-a-service, fleet-as-a-service, Vehicle to grid-enabled energy services), supports regulatory compliance via transparent telemetry and reporting, and speeds up decarbonisation by enabling smarter energy management across ICE, hybrid and electric vehicles.

By being the first pilot to comprehensively evaluate both internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles across SDV/VaS scenarios, with a standards-based methodology, O-CEI’s Pilot 2 creates an evidence base that manufacturers, fleets and regulators can rely on. That evidence will inform deployment strategies, policy making, life-cycle assessments, and the broader transition to low-carbon, software-driven mobility.

How are the partners contributing to Pilot 2?

Pilot 2 is a collaborative effort bringing together the expertise of Continental, FENIX, and ERTICO.

Continental leads the technical development of the Software-Defined Vehicle systems, integrating embedded technologies, AI algorithms, and edge computing within the Continental CAEdge platform. Their work ensures that hardware and software operate in perfect synchrony to deliver adaptive, safe, and high-performance vehicles.

FENIX contributes through interoperability and sustainability research, conducting feasibility studies, and ensuring that the technological solutions align with emerging industry standards and environmental goals.

ERTICO plays a pivotal role in user engagement, dissemination, exploitation, and standards development. Our work ensures that the pilot remains aligned with industry best practices, stakeholder needs, and the evolving European smart mobility framework.

How do these contributions enable the Pilot 2 objectives and strengthen the automotive vertical?

Each partner’s contribution strengthens a different layer of the innovation ecosystem. Continental’s CAEdge platform provides the computational foundation (the “digital brain” of the SDV), which processes sensor data from critical vehicle systems like brakes and tyres to ensure safety and efficiency. FENIX’s interoperability framework guarantees that the proposed approach can connect seamlessly across different mobility platforms and energy networks. ERTICO’s engagement work ensures that this innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, but within a larger European ecosystem of standards, policies, and user adoption.

Together, these efforts showcase how SDV and VaS can drive measurable impact: lower CO₂ emissions, enhanced energy efficiency, and new business models for fleet management and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration. By connecting the automotive and energy domains, Pilot 2 demonstrates that sustainability and digital innovation are not parallel goals but mutually reinforcing.

How is Pilot 2 enabling the local community in Timișoara, Romania?

Timișoara was selected due to Continental’s footprint in the city. It provides an ideal environment for testing next-generation mobility solutions, thanks to its strong industrial base and growing digital ecosystem. 

The Pilot 2 brings tangible benefits to the local community by positioning Timișoara as a European hub for sustainable automotive innovation. It supports local industry and academia by fostering collaboration around smart mobility, cloud-edge computing, and energy integration.

From a societal perspective, the technologies developed here (such as intelligent routing, predictive maintenance, and vehicle-to-grid systems) directly contribute to cleaner air, more efficient transport, and smarter energy use. Over time, this will help reduce traffic congestion and emissions, while creating new opportunities for high-tech employment and sustainable economic growth.