Mobilise, Demonstrate and Enable are the latest funding initiatives unveiled as part of the £150m (US$200m) Connected & Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder program announced in the UK government’s Industrial Strategy.
From cutting-edge technology to autonomous vehicles, CAM Pathfinder aims to provide funding to projects that are developing world-first mobility technologies, products and services in the UK.
Sarah Jones MP, who was minister of state for industry at the department for business and trade when the funds were approved earlier this month, said, “Industry reports from the SMMT suggest that connected and automated mobility has the potential to generate a staggering £66bn (US$88bn) for the UK economy and more than 12,000 jobs in vehicle manufacturing alone.
“We want to help businesses seize that opportunity with both hands and that’s why we introduced the CAM Pathfinder R&D program over the summer. I am really pleased that we can announce the next round of CAM Pathfinder competitions. The competitions will open this autumn, with funding being made available for the next financial year.”
The CAM Pathfinder program is being delivered on behalf of the UK government by Innovate UK and Zenzic.
Mark Cracknell, program director of Zenzic, said, “This announcement will provide a major boost to businesses across the UK who are already part of, or seeking to break into, the CAM supply chain.
“The grants will support critical, world-leading research and trials which will further strengthen the nation’s reputation as a global leader when it comes to developing and deploying the mobility and transport solutions of tomorrow.”
Mobilise, Demonstrate and Enable will support projects and trials with the potential to enhance commercial sectors such as maritime, logistics, manufacturing and aviation, as opposed to domestic vehicle services.
The funds follow the Enhancements and Feasibility Studies programs, which were launched in July and amount to £18m (UUS$25m) in funding, bringing the total amount of funding already committed from CAM Pathfinder to £58m (US$78m).
Cracknell added, “Trials of autonomous port handlers, public buses and self-driving pods have already received funding from the Enhancements fund, as have over a dozen Feasibility Studies bringing together some of the brightest minds from across academia and industry, and these three new funds will further build on this success.”
“They will ensure UK organizations continue to play an impactful role in the future of mobility, while providing a real boost to the economy, so we would encourage any business interested in getting involved to get in touch with us and find out more.”
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