Trade Resources Company News UK Unveils Plans for First Phase of £100m Investment in Cav Testing Infrastructure

UK Unveils Plans for First Phase of £100m Investment in Cav Testing Infrastructure

The UK Government has launched the first competition to access funding from its £100 investment program supporting the creation of test facilities for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV).

According to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary of State Greg Clark, the investment will make UK the global destination for the development of CAV technology.

The announcement was made at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) Connected Conference in London.

The investment is part of the government’s industrial strategy commitment for 2016 to develop testing infrastructure for the CAV.

At present, the programme will use existing CAV test centres and to develop a concentrated cluster of testing facilities at UK’s automotive manufacturing hubs such as West Midlands, including; Coventry, Birmingham, Milton Keynes as well as Oxford and London.

The programme will also be match funded by industry and the total investment of £200m will be invested in over four years of time. UK Government plans to grant through a series of funding competitions.

The first competition, which was announced yesterday, will see an initial share of £55m of test bed funding.

Tests will be conducted at several places including public test facilities in a complex, real-world urban or cit environment along with representatives of controlled test environment driving in the city and a controlled high speed test environment.

Greg Clark said: “By 2035 the global market for connected and autonomous vehicle technologies is predicted to be worth £63bn.

“Our investment and collaboration with industry to build on our strengths and create a cluster of excellence that will ensure we are at the forefront of its development and perfectly positioned to lead and capitalise on this market.

“The test bed is an example of the Industrial Strategy the government is committed to delivering. At its heart is a world class science, research and innovation base which will continue to offer high-skill, well-paying jobs, ensuring the UK delivers an economy that works for everyone and cement itself as one of the world’s ‘go-to’ destinations for testing driverless car technology, now and in the future.”

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) CEO Mike Hawes said: “The UK is a hotbed of innovation and one of the fastest moving areas is in connected and autonomous vehicles.

“We want the UK to be the destination of choice for the development and testing of this new generation of vehicles. Government support and investment, such as we are seeing today, will help this technology flourish allowing the UK to reap the economic and societal benefits.”

SMMT, in one of its survey noted that a majority of young people now believe that owning or using a CAV can transform their lives. In another survey it was noted that, most importantly the lives of people with limited mobility can see a spectrum change in their lives.

Source: http://design.automotive-business-review.com/news/uk-government-to-invest-gbp100m-on-infrastructure-for-connected-and-autonomous-vehicles-5775379
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