As emerging technologies become part of everyday urban life, public authorities need more than technical solutions—they need governance models that are transparent, inclusive and ready for change. Throughout its implementation, the GINEVRA project supported small and medium-sized cities across Central Europe in preparing for transformative innovation, using autonomous vehicles (AVs) as a real-life case to develop and test new governance approaches.
Today, GINEVRA leaves a portfolio of practical outputs that will continue supporting public authorities, policymakers and innovation stakeholders beyond the project’s lifetime.
Jointly Developed Guidelines for Responsible, Multi-level Governance of Transformative Innovation
What is it?
The Jointly Developed Guidelines provide a practical methodology for planning and governing transformative innovations in small and medium-sized cities. Based on research, stakeholder engagement and pilot activities, the guidelines explain both why responsible governance matters and how local authorities can implement multi-level governance processes when introducing disruptive technologies.
While autonomous vehicles served as the project’s demonstration case, the methodology can be transferred to many other innovation fields where technological, social and institutional challenges intersect.
Who benefits?
The guidelines support municipalities, regional authorities and policymakers looking to strengthen governance capacity, improve cross-sector cooperation and build public trust when deploying innovative technologies.
Toolkit for Responsible, Multi-level Governance of Transformative Innovation
What is it?
The online Toolkit brings together the knowledge generated throughout GINEVRA into a practical resource for cities. It includes stakeholder engagement methods, the Baseline Study, governance resources and the AV Readiness Index Calculator, allowing local authorities to assess their preparedness for autonomous mobility while improving coordination across policy sectors and institutions.
Who benefits?
The toolkit helps public administrations, mobility planners and innovation agencies evaluate their current governance capacity, identify improvement areas and design more inclusive innovation processes involving citizens, businesses and research organisations.
Technology Demonstrators for Multi-level Governance
What is it?
One of GINEVRA’s most innovative achievements was demonstrating how technology itself can become a governance tool. Through pilot demonstrations and Living Lab activities, citizens experienced autonomous vehicles in real-life settings while engaging in discussions about safety, ethics, regulation and future urban mobility.
Rather than simply showcasing new technology, these demonstrations created opportunities for dialogue, evidence gathering and co-creation, helping cities better understand public expectations before large-scale deployment.
Who benefits?
Citizens become active participants in shaping technological change, while municipalities gain valuable insights into public perception, acceptance and governance needs before introducing new mobility solutions.
Transnational Action Plan for Responsible Governance
What is it?
Building on the project’s research, pilot actions and stakeholder engagement activities, GINEVRA developed a Transnational Action Plan that promotes long-term cooperation among Central European cities. The plan consolidates the project’s experience into recommendations for future policy development and provides a roadmap for transferring GINEVRA’s governance model to other technological domains.
Who benefits?
The action plan supports local and regional authorities seeking to replicate GINEVRA’s approach, while strengthening cooperation between cities, research organisations and innovation ecosystems across Central Europe.
Looking beyond autonomous mobility
Although autonomous vehicles represented GINEVRA’s case study, the project’s legacy reaches far beyond mobility. Its outputs demonstrate that successful innovation depends not only on technological readiness but also on effective governance, citizen participation and institutional collaboration.
By making these methodologies, tools and strategic recommendations publicly available, GINEVRA provides cities with practical resources to govern future transformative innovations responsibly, transparently and together with the communities they serve.