Autonomous shuttle and baggage transportation services from firms including Wayve, Oxa, Aurrigo and UPS are set to receive government funding as part of a self-driving vehicle support programme.
The projects will receive funding from the £150m Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder initiative launched as part of the recent Industrial Strategy. The scheme aims to address the complexities in commercialising autonomous vehicles in the UK.
Among the projects is DriveSAFESim, led by the UK’s largest firm in the sector, Wayve. It aims to bring together experts in embodied AI and safety assurance to develop test simulations.
The RAMP Ready project will combine autonomous cargo dolly technology developed by Coventry-based Aurrigo with a self-driving passenger shuttle from UPS in support of the aviation industry.
Oxa, Nissan, Newcastle University and a handful of other partners are developing a proof of concept for autonomous transport systems at the Port of Tyne.
“It’s fantastic to see industry and government working together to ensure the UK is best placed to seize the CAM opportunity,” said Mark Cracknell, programme director at Zenzic, a government and industry-established group supporting the autonomous vehicle sector.
“From aviation to logistics and public transport, the programme will provide the funding and support required to help some of the nation’s brightest minds develop the technologies that will cement CAM as one of the industries of the future, creating high skilled jobs and providing a major boost to the UK economy.”
The funding will be delivered by Innovate UK.
“This latest investment in the CAM sector by government will enable the UK to continue at the forefront of this technology,: said Mike Biddle, executive director for Net Zero at Innovate UK.
“This is a vote of confidence in the industry’s potential and Innovate UK looks forward to working with business and our partners as these technologies move ever closer to being commonplace in our everyday lives.”
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