Rome, 21 May 2026 – To mark the third anniversary of its establishment, ROAD – Rome Advanced District, the business network comprising Eni, Acea, Autostrade per l’Italia, Bridgestone, Cisco, eFM, Gruppo FS and Nextchem, today presented at Rome’s Gazometro the results achieved during its first three years of activity, together with its strategic priorities for the 2026–2029 period. The event was opened by ROAD Chairman Claudio Granata, Maria Cristina Russo from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Innovation, Donatella Proto, Director General for Emerging Enabling Technologies at Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), and Gianmarco Montanari, Director General of the MOST Foundation. The occasion also provided an opportunity to present two nationally significant technological projects to institutional stakeholders: the “Full Road” autonomous driving circuit and the District’s Digital Twin for urban operational risk simulation.
“Full Road” (Fleet Urban Living Lab Rome Advanced District) is a fully operational urban testing circuit dedicated to the experimentation of advanced autonomous driving solutions in real-world conditions. The system integrates autonomous and connected vehicles, digital infrastructure and an advanced control room, enabling continuous monitoring and remote management of both operations along the circuit and vehicle performance. It also makes it possible to assess technological performance, define new safety standards and develop innovative solutions for the efficient management of autonomous vehicle fleets. The initiative stems from the collaboration between the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the University of Salerno, Eni and Movyon (Autostrade per l’Italia), and is one of the flagship projects funded by the National Sustainable Mobility Centre (MOST).
The project also includes a robotics laboratory dedicated to testing autonomous ground and aerial robotic systems in a controlled environment, as well as a testing arena equipped with high-precision 3D cameras, technical workstations and a virtual reality area. On site Technologies include configurable drones and autonomous systems for automated inspection with autonomous return and recharging capabilities.
In parallel, a Digital Twin, developed through a technology partnership with Accenture, has been created to support infrastructure management through a virtual replica of Rome’s Ostiense district. The platform can analyse complex data related to traffic, weather conditions, construction works and pedestrian flows. It enables predictive scenario simulations, optimising decision-making processes and reducing the environmental impact of urban activities.
Since its launch in 2023, ROAD has strengthened its role as a centre of excellence for innovation, launching more than fifteen innovation projects and building an ecosystem of highly specialised professionals. Its recognition as a scientific and technological park by the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) confirms the District’s institutional solidity. This is further supported by a Social Return on Investment (SROI) of 1.4 - meaning that every euro invested in the programme generates €1.4 of benefits in terms of economic, environmental and social objectives, demonstrating the value created across the entire ecosystem.
The event also offered an international perspective on the future of innovation districts, with contributions from representatives of leading global technology hubs, including Kilometro Rosso (Bergamo), EUREF Campus (Berlin), the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, Cité Descartes (Paris), Apple Developer Academy (Naples) and TusPark (Beijing).
The afternoon programme focused on emerging themes such as Physical AI and humanoid robotics, with contributions from leading academic institutions including the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Politecnico di Torino, Sapienza University of Rome and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. It also included a dedicated spotlight on Generative Bionics, the startup spun out of the Italian Institute of Technology that has recently attracted major investment from CDP Venture Capital and Eni Next.
The event officially launched ROAD’s strategic development agenda for the 2026–2029 period, focused on infrastructure resilience and security, efficient energy resource management, and the advancement of next-generation mobility. In doing soit reaffirmed the District’s mission as an accelerator of innovative solutions supporting Italy’s transformation.
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