By 2026, Europe is expected to have 50 million connected vehicles. SELFY addresses the urgent need for trustworthy CCAM systems that ensure public safety, reduce road accidents, support decarbonization, and improve transport accessibility. Its long-term impact is reinforced by compatibility across the mobility value chain and by involving OEMs, infrastructure operators, traffic managers, researchers, and policymakers.
SELFY is a European-funded project under the Horizon Europe programme (HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01-04) that aims to enhance the safety, security, robustness, and resilience of Cooperative Connected Automated Mobility (CCAM) systems. It delivers a comprehensive, vendor-agnostic toolbox composed of collaborative tools structured around four core pillars:
- Situational Awareness is achieved through sensor fusion and cooperative perception tools that enhance environmental understanding and detect threats.
- Resilience includes tools for self-assessment, defence, and recovery, such as the Audit Box, Artificial Immune System, and Safety Operational Tools.
- Trust and Secure Data Sharing are ensured via cryptographic security, remote attestation, anonymization, and secure updates.
The tools are coordinated via the Vehicle Security Operations Center (VSOC), enabling comprehensive monitoring and orchestrated response. They function individually or jointly to support SELF-protection, SELF-response, and SELF-recovery, managed locally or globally based on the threat. This distributed system extends the Operational Design Domain (ODD) and aligns with EU cybersecurity certification. The SELFY toolbox has been validated in simulations, labs, and real-world scenarios including traffic management, vulnerable road user safety, and platooning.
Challenges Addressed by SELFY
Digitalization and AI in CCAM systems increase cybersecurity risks, requiring secure data flows, reliable anomaly detection, and rapid countermeasures. System resilience depends on high-quality, trustworthy data with guaranteed integrity and secure access to ensure safe, efficient mobility services.
Societal Relevance and Inclusivity
CCAM’s safety, environmental, and accessibility benefits rely on public acceptance, which requires inclusive design. SELFY integrates social science research focused on women, older adults, and people with disabilities. Expert interviews revealed concerns about privacy, accessibility, safety, and predictable behavior, guiding SELFY’s inclusive approach and supporting EU strategies like the Disability Strategy 2021–2030 and the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Why SELFY Matters
By addressing both technical and societal aspects of CCAM cybersecurity, SELFY ensures that resilience, trust, and accessibility are integral to future mobility systems. Its open, interoperable design aligns with EU regulations such as the Cyber Resilience Act and Vehicle Type Approval. With a >90% effectiveness rate in detecting security breaches and >75% mitigation rate at TRL6, SELFY demonstrates strong adoption potential.
