£18.5 million is being made available to UK companies in government funding to strengthen the capabilities of the UK’s connected and automated mobility supply chain.
Thirteen projects will improve the safety and security of self-driving vehicles, by filling specific technology gaps in the UK and globally.
The grants, part of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Connected and Automated Mobility programme, will complement £81 million investment for CAM technology.
The grants will help 43 British companies across 13 projects to seize early opportunities to develop self-driving technologies, products, and service ready for the connected and automated mobility market.
In August 2022, the government announced its approach to supporting the safe deployment of self-driving vehicles to deliver societal and economic benefits. To actualise this, CCAV launched the Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM) programme to target early commercial self-driving vehicle opportunities and support the UK supply chain to grow and fill technology gaps necessary for their deployment.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, said:
“From farm tractors fuelled by hydrogen to rapid-charge first responder motorcycles, these projects receiving funding today show we are not short of innovators in this country.
“By supporting growth in the industries of the future, including through better regulation, we are delivering on our plan to get the economy growing and make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business.”
The joint government and industry funding winners include project AIM-DBW which will be receiving £400,000 and aims to deliver a drive-by-wire system that replaces traditional mechanical linkages with electronic ones, enabling automation of the throttle, steering, braking, gears, and ancillary systems of a vehicle.
Phillip Ironside, Head of Innovation & Programmes at Zenzic, said:
“Zenzic is proud to support and facilitate these Supply Chain projects that are critical to delivering the UK government’s vision for Connected and Automated Mobility. Our vision foresees the early commercial deployment of self-driving vehicles by 2025 to improve the movement of people and goods. This is only possible with a vibrant and sustainable UK-based CAM supply chain, which can secure the UK’s position as a world-leading exporter of CAM services.”
