A Nissan-led bid to develop an autonomous vehicle capable of safely driving through residential, urban and rural spaces has secured Government funding.
The evolvAD progamme, which includes the Sunderland manufacturer and four other partners, will use £2.3m allocated for the creation of high definition maps and systems that will allow the vehicle to operate in different situations, including alongside vulnerable road users. It is part of the Centre of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility: Supply Chain competition that has shared £18.5m between 43 British companies across 13 projects.
Each of the British projects is focused on early opportunities to develop self-driving technologies, and related products and services. The funding has been topped up to £28.5m by industry support that and the work will address technology gaps, enhance safety and security, improve performance and reliability, and create scalable opportunities both domestically and globally.
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Each of the projects, including evolvAD, will involve CCAV’s delivery partners, Zenzic and Innovate 海角视频. Firms and organisations involved in evolvAD include TRL Limited, Humanising Autonomy, the Connected Places Catapult and SBD Automotive.
It follow's Nissan's involvement in Project V-CAL, which has tested four zero-emission autonomous HGVs around the manufacturer's Sunderland site. That scheme was awarded funds from CCAV .
Chancellor 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 海角视频 the best place in the world to start and grow a business."
Phillip Ironside, head of innovation and programmes at Zenzic, added: "Zenzic is proud to support and facilitate these supply chain projects that are critical to delivering the 海角视频 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 海角视频-based CAM supply chain, which can secure the 海角视频's position as a world-leading exporter of CAM (connected and automated mobility) services.
“Unlocking the CAM potential requires a coordinated supply chain, and the participation of the entire CAM ecosystem. By bringing together a wide range of market participants, from large OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to smaller technology developers and micro-businesses, these innovative projects are driving progress. We are excited about the potential impact these projects will have on the industry and the opportunities they will unlock for the 海角视频 in shaping the future of transportation.”