CARMONY explores traffic orchestration through new research
As European transport networks become increasingly connected, the challenge is no longer simply to optimise individual journeys, but to coordinate mobility decisions in ways that benefit the wider transport system.
This is the central idea behind the Horizon Europe CARMONY project, explored in its new scientific paper, “From Self-Centered to Mutual Beneficial Traffic Orchestration: The CARMONY Use Cases and User Stories”, published in the proceedings of the Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2026.
The paper presents the project’s Interlinked Orchestration Framework through six use cases and associated user stories developed for two pilot locations: Murcia, Spain, and Luxembourg. Together, they demonstrate how traffic orchestration can address different mobility challenges.
CARMONY use cases, user stories and pilot sites
Source: A. Martínez Roselló et al., 2026, p. 1133
A key starting point is the recognition that mobility needs are inherently individual. Commuters, professional drivers, emergency services and other road users have different priorities, constraints and travel patterns. However, their journeys take place within the same transport network, meaning that individual decisions can have consequences for everyone else. CARMONY addresses this interdependence by developing an approach that combines personalised mobility recommendations with wider societal and network objectives.
The project’s Interlinked Orchestration Framework brings together governance and business models, digital twin monitoring, real-world traffic data and simulation studies. Importantly, it does not aim to impose mobility decisions on users. Instead, it provides personalised recommendations that balance individual preferences with collective benefits, while leaving the final decision to the road user. This approach represents an important shift towards more cooperative traffic management, where user autonomy and network efficiency are considered together.
Concept of the Interlinked Orchestrator
Source: A. Martínez Roselló et al., 2026, p. 1132
One of the paper’s most important methodological contributions is the combined use of user stories and technical use cases. The user stories help capture the needs of different stakeholders, from individual commuters to traffic management operators and emergency services, and the corresponding use cases translate these needs into technical scenarios and system requirements. This approach helps identify potential conflicts between mobility actors at an early stage and provides a structured basis for developing solutions that account for both individual and collective priorities.
The paper also clarifies the current stage of development: the requirements, scenarios and UML models have been finalised, while the next phase will focus on the technical integration of the orchestrator components, followed by large-scale simulations and real-world demonstrations to validate the framework’s performance.
The six use cases therefore provide the foundation for the project’s forthcoming implementation and evaluation activities.
Read the full work here
