New technology start-ups and SMEs came together earlier this month with five of the world’s leading motor industry brands for the second annual cross-industry initiative to help shape the future of transport and mobility.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT)
Mobility Challenge — held this year at the Plexal
Innovation Centre in London — promoted cross-sector collaboration between large and small businesses, with successful candidates securing new partnerships, mentorship and investment after an engaging day of pitching new initiatives to the automotive sector.
Senior representatives from some of the biggest names in the automotive sector heard pitches from 43 ambitious start-ups and SMEs from nine different countries.
The candidates — shortlisted from 136 Future Mobility Challenge entries — were invited to pitch innovative mobility solutions to representatives from Ford Mobility, Bosch, Toyota and — new participants this year — Honda and Volvo Car UK.
The ideas pitched this year ranged from data solutions to digital applications for shared mobility, fleets and new subscription models, and from new cyber security solutions to AI in future vehicles — all innovations that could one day re-define the future of mobility and — indeed — the automotive sector.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes (
www.smmt.co.uk) said: “This event provides the perfect opportunity for automotive-industry leaders and innovative-technology SMEs to collaborate.
"The UK’s hard-won reputation as a hub for innovation and emerging new technologies means that we can continue to attract some of the best and brightest from across the world to this event.
"We are on the cusp of a transport revolution, and UK automotive is ready for the journey.”