Climate Change and Industry Minister Claire Perry recently launched Meridian, a new ‘Government-backed and industry-led brand’ for the development of connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology in the UK.
Funded jointly by the Government’s £100 million CAV investment programme and by industry, Meridian will create a “cluster of excellence” in driverless-car testing along the M40 corridor between Coventry and London, the aim being to accelerate the development of this technology, grow intellectual capital and attract overseas investment in the UK.
The launch of Meridian follows a ‘call for evidence’ by the Centre of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) in May last year, into how the UK can integrate and strengthen its CAV testing facilities and to consider the case for a test bed to provide a focus for the industry.
Responses to the consultation (published in March), reflected broad industry support from the Automotive Council, as well as other sectors and companies, for co-ordinating the UK’s existing testing facilities and for Government funding to support this work.
Claire Perry said: “At the heart of our Industrial Strategy is a commitment to delivering world-class science, research and innovation.
“The Meridian co-ordination hub embodies this ambition, creating a globally recognisable brand that will bring the auto-motive sector, academia and Government together behind a common set of strategic goals.
“A report we are publishing today predicts that by 2035 the global market for CAV technologies will be worth £907 billion, and through Government investment and collaboration with industry in this area we will ensure that the UK becomes one of the global ‘go to’ destinations for the development of this technology.”
Graham Hoare, Ford’s director of global vehicle evaluation and verification and chairman of the Automotive Council Technology Group, said: “These technologies are coming and will profoundly change our understanding of mobility.
“The UK has long-standing capabilities across many of the sectors supporting new vehicle technologies and an approach that is more open and collaborative than other markets.
“We recognise that these exciting new technologies are broader than the automotive sector and we welcome the different ideas and perspectives that this brings.”