DROIDS has planned its methodology to respond to all of the research questions presented in the call text, focus on the critical elements of the digital infrastructure related to digital road operations and their development, deployment and operations issues, and produce the outputs expected concluding in a well-considered recommendation for a European Data Strategy. The methodology of DROIDS builds on close liaison with the CEDR experts, the sister projects of the same call, and the Advisory group containing the industry, academia, city and road operator stakeholders from more than 10 European countries. The methodology is embedded in the DROIDS structure, as visualised in the Figure below.

All domains of digital operation will be covered, from construction, asset management, and maintenance to Cooperative Connected Automated Mobility (CCAM) and cooperative traffic management. 

WP 1: Management of the Droids project

This WP will oversee the project delivery.

WP 2: Understanding the role of NRAs as digital road operators

This WP considers the roles of the NRAs as Digital Road Operators (DROs) and especially in the digital twin ecosystem taking into account the changes due to digitalisation and automation utilising the results from MANTRA, DIRIZON, DIREC, TM4CAD as well as the C-Roads projects including Intercor in addition to the reference projects of the consortium. HD maps, electronic regulation, and other key infrastructure elements are under focus here and in the other WPs along with the critical services from the point of view of the DRO. 

WP3: Understanding the digital twin application evolutions

The digital twins of the physical, operational and also digital infrastructure in response to traffic, environment, land use etc., are in constant evolution about their scope, detail, and timeliness.  It is essential to the DRO to understand the use potential of these applications for digital road operation and select the most appropriate tools accordingly.  The BIM- and AIM-related applications are specifically addressed, utilising the earlier CEDR and consortium project results, and the automation-related ones utilising the results from DIGEST and TM4CAD.

WP4: Ensuring trusted service provision

The OEMs and some other private stakeholders hesitate to use NRA-originated data as this often is not trusted by them. The veracity, availability and security of the data needs to be ensured. DROIDS will assess and classify the services about their needs concerning trust and utilising the results of the C-ITS certificate policy and its national implementation projects.

WP5: Proposing a European data strategy for DROs

This concluding step will utilise the results of the aforementioned WPs and targeted research of its own to develop the overarching data strategy on both strategic and functional levels. The work will utilise the approaches and results of data, digital roads, automated driving facilitation, and asset management strategies from European countries.