V4SDV

Why we are taking this on

The automotive industry is going through a three-layer transformation in which each layer reinforces the others: the electric platform provides the hardware base, the software-defined architecture works as the digital brain, and vehicle autonomy sits on top as the application layer. A software-defined vehicle is run by a handful of powerful computers, new functions arrive over the internet years after it leaves the line, and autonomous driving is built on that layer. Value in the automotive industry is shifting from the combustion engine to the electric drivetrain, and from hardware to software, data, and digital services.

For Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland, which built a large part of their economies on making cars, this is a decisive issue. So far, though, the players in these countries work out the EU rules on artificial intelligence, type approval, access to in-vehicle data, and cybersecurity on their own, and in European initiatives the region’s voice carries little weight. V4SDV Connect creates the missing platform where companies, ministries, and researchers from our three countries can finally sit down together.

Who runs the project

The project is led by SEVA (Slovakia), with ZONE Cluster and PSNM (Poland) acting as key executing partners. ZONE Cluster represents the Hungarian innovation ecosystem for smart and autonomous mobility, bringing a direct link to the ZalaZone proving ground. In their respective countries, all three organisations connect industry with ministries and research, allowing the project to bring together the stakeholders who can genuinely move the topic forward.

What the project delivers

• A comparison of legislation and standards: A joint map placing Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland side by side across five areas: AI in mobility, vehicle type approval, in-vehicle data, cybersecurity, and connected/automated mobility.
• An expert visit to the ZalaZone proving ground: A study visit to one of Europe’s most advanced testing facilities for connected and autonomous vehicles and to the Budapest smart mobility ecosystem.
• A panel at the CEE Automotive Transition Forum in Budapest: A public discussion on pilot projects, testing, and regional partnerships.
• A roundtable with ministries and industry in Bratislava: A focused session on regulation, industrial transition, and the region’s position in the EU.
• A panel at the New Mobility Congress in Katowice: A discussion on the region’s readiness for software-defined and autonomous vehicles.

Why it matters

A single shared position from three countries carries more weight in EU standardisation and legislation than three separate national ones. V4SDV Connect is a first attempt at building this kind of cooperation around the digital transformation of the automotive industry. The legislative map and the working relationships created during the project can become an important basis for further activity in the region, including European funding applications and national strategies.

Follow the project

Project outputs and summaries will be published on this page throughout the lifecycle of the initiative.