JOIN THE ANAS – ESA GRAND CHALLENGE, BE PART OF THE SMART ROAD REVOLUTION AND GET THE CHANCE TO WIN PRIZE UP TO € 100,000
The European Space Agency together with the Italian leading company for road infrastructure management ANAS, is launching a new Grand Challenge: ‘’Enhanced positioning 4 Smart Road”.
Starting from 04 December 2024 you can apply to Enhanced positioning 4 Smart Road – ESA Grand Challenge until 31 March 2025.
Participants are expected to deliver high-precision positioning solutions that integrate seamlessly with future smart road systems. The challenge promises to accelerate the adoption of autonomous and connected vehicle technologies, bringing us closer to a future where roads and vehicles work together to create safe and more efficient travel for everyone.
The Enhanced positioning 4 Smart Road ESA Grand Challenge invites participants to develop solutions based on two main objectives:
- Increase the accuracy of GNSS positioning in smartphones through advanced techniques such as real-time kinematic correction, the use of multiple satellite constellations and artificial intelligence-based data integration;
- Expand and refine the use cases of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) services to enhance driver assistance systems, reduce false positives and negatives, and improve road safety.
If you are an SME registered in one of the ESA Member, Cooperating, or Associate States, apply to compete in this new ESA Grand Challenge and get your chance to win up to € 100,000.
If you would like to know more, an online Info Day will take place on 03 March 2025 at 3.00 pm CET. To register:
Register for the Info DayAre you ready to take on the challenge and shape the future of smart road systems?
Teams competing in the Enhanced Positioning 4 Smart Road ESA Grand Challenge are reminded to carefully read the Terms and Conditions of the ESA Grand Challenge, then submit the application by sending an email including the Application material to grand.challenge@esa.int.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the future of autonomous driving, smart road infrastructure and space-based navigation. Imagine a world where cars can communicate with road systems, interact with each other and make dynamic driving decisions with a high accuracy.
Join the challengeAbout ANAS
Anas is an innovative, efficient and transparent joint-stock company that operates on a national and international level with Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane as sole shareholder. Anas is also subject to the auditing and technical-operative supervision of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
Anas manages Italy’s national roads and motorways and is responsible for all of the activities this implies, from their design, including feasibility studies and environmental impact assessments, to their construction and ordinary and extraordinary maintenance. Today Anas’ network includes more than 32.000 kms of national roads and motorways, including junctions and split roads, approximately 18.720 bridges and viaducts, 2.157 tunnels, 18 regional operations centres.
It is also spearheading the “ANAS Smart Road” programme which is going to revolutionise road transport by focusing on safety, connectivity, and innovation. This programme lays the foundation for the future of autonomous driving by introducing multifunctional C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems) stations along key roadways. These stations communicate bidirectionally with vehicles, enhancing the driving experience and improving road management through real-time data exchange.
The ANAS Smart Road App further supports this vision by offering mobility services to users across Italy’s road network, transforming smartphones into valuable tools for assisted driving and improving overall road safety. By embracing advanced GNSS technologies and connected vehicle systems, ANAS is leading the way toward a future where road travel is smarter, safer and more efficient.