UK connected and automated mobility: call for evidence
Updated 16 July 2021
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Ministerial foreword
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel, Minister for Investment
Technology will drive radical changes within the transport sector over the next 10 years and beyond. We have the opportunity to shape these changes to have a profound positive impact for the environment, transport users and businesses.
Within these changes, connected and automated mobility is set to be a key disrupter of global transport over the coming 2 decades, enabling greener, safer, easier, and more productive journeys. And it is where many of the high value jobs of the future could be, in areas like artificial intelligence, machine learning, agile design, simulation, cyber security and fleet management.
The UK has earned its place as a world leader in self-driving vehicle innovation. It is currently ranked second in the G7 for self-driving vehicle readiness, leading particularly on policy, legislation, and cyber security. We are also home to some of the most exciting automated mobility companies in the world, who are safely and responsibly setting the standard for global innovation in this space.
The technology could deliver huge economic benefits, attracting international investment and reinforcing the UK’s place as a global science superpower. Indeed, the UK market alone could be worth as much as £42 billion by 2035, creating approximately 38,000 new jobs.
With its status as a science superpower, the UK is in an excellent position to gain the benefits from these new technologies, and they can be part of our determination to Build Back Better from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This call for evidence will enable us to gather evidence from the industry of where the UK can be globally competitive in these technologies, and the role government could play to help ensure continued development, testing and deployment of safe and secure connected and automated mobility.
Background and context
Connected and automated mobility technologies will profoundly change the way people and goods are transported. They have the potential to:
a. Improve safety on our roads, where 5 people are killed and 83 are seriously injured in Great Britain every day.
b. Create the new, well-paying jobs of the future in agile vehicle design, coding, cyber security and fleet management; the 2020 Connected Places Catapult market forecast estimates that by 2035, the sector will support 23,400 new jobs in CAV technology and a further 14,600 jobs in the supply chain – a total of 38,000 new jobs.
c. Increase our productivity, recognising that the average person in England currently spends 212 hours travelling by private car, equivalent to almost 6 working weeks; CAM has the potential to give some or all of this time back.
d. Reduce congestion on our roads, via a more-efficient use of road space; the time currently lost as a result of congestion on the strategic road network costs the UK economy approximately £2 billion per year, and by 2040, this figure will reach £10 billion per year, according to DfT forecasts. CAM could improve traffic flow and give drivers productive time in their commute.
e. Improve access to road transport for all, with the potential to enable more affordable services, especially in historically underprovided areas, and increase disabled and older people’s freedom to travel.
Since 2015, government has worked closely with industry and academia to harness the potential of connected and self-driving technologies. To date we have created one of the most welcoming regulatory environments for self-driving technology, as well as jointly investing £400 million with industry into cutting-edge British innovation and establishing the £200 million CAM Testbed UK ecosystem where companies around the world can test technologies safely. CCAV wants to understand how the CAM sector can help the nation build back better and greener as we recover from COVID, secure our reputation as a science superpower and encourage economic growth across the UK.
The UK is continuing to push ahead with establishing a world-class regulatory safety and cyber security assurance process. The UK Code of Practice for testing automated vehicles on public roads is recognised as one of the most open in the world and the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 set out a framework for automated vehicle insurance. The Law Commissions’ review of UK legislation is exploring how regulation could be adapted to enable the safe deployment of CAM. And the CAVPASS project (Connected and Automated Vehicles: Process for Assuring Safety and Security) is developing the world’s first comprehensive safety and security assurance process for CAVs.
It is now 6 years since the government’s last call for evidence with UK industry and academia on connected and automated mobility, and the sector has moved forward substantially in that time. In line with the government’s commitment to Build Back Better, we think now is the opportune moment to refresh our evidence base in this area, and understand from the field’s entrepreneurs, industry leaders and academics how the UK can best capture the benefits of these new technologies.
CCAV is interested in hearing from organisations across the CAM sector; this includes interest in on vehicle and infrastructure technologies, knowledge and skills and from services that will help enable CAM and from services and future businesses that will be enabled by CAM delivery.
Definitions and explanations
Connected and Automated Mobility – For CCAV, connected and automated mobility (CAM) captures our key interests and responsibilities in supporting the UK through the design, development, manufacturing, certification and deployment of connected and automated (self-driving) vehicles and the roles and services they may fulfil.
We are, typically, interested in ground based, wheeled vehicles that are currently deployed with a human driver, and the technologies, skills and knowledge (including legislation, standards & certification) that will enable them to operate safely without human intervention.
CAM will be most relevant to the existing automotive industry and to future goods and passenger services, but will also impact on many other sectors, such as construction, mining, cyber security, defence and insurance.
Net Zero – the UK has set the world’s most ambitious climate change target into law, seeking to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, taking the UK more than three-quarters of the way to reaching net zero by 2050. The publication of the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy and our 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution help set out the steps we need to take to meet these targets, including the shift to zero emission vehicles and increasing options for green transport.
Levelling up - the UK government is committed to levelling up across the whole of the UK, leaving no communities behind, particularly as we recover from COVID-19. Levelling up will involve regeneration, supporting individuals across the country into employment and improving transport and infrastructure. To achieve these goals, a number of powers will be decentralised to local partners across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and several investment programmes will be made available.
Global Britain - following the UK’s exit from the European Union, an independent Global Britain can take advantage of trade opportunities that come with the status of a fully sovereign trading nation. The government aims to promote an open economy that permits the free flow of ideas and investment as well as goods, services and data – to drive innovation and growth.
Questions
Please respond via the online survey page
Strength of CAM in the UK, here and now
1. Are there any areas where the UK has strong capabilities in the CAM Sector and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to demonstrate these strengths. If you wish, you can also upload and attach any supporting documents using the upload option below.
2. What factors could impact the UK’s ability to maintain these strong capabilities? Please provide specific evidence to support your response.
3. In your opinion, what are the relative strengths of the UK CAM sector and its supply chain compared to international counterparts? Where relevant please highlight if these capabilities are world leading and provide specific evidence to support your response.
4. In your opinion, what are the relative weaknesses of the UK CAM sector compared to international counterparts, including important gaps in the UK CAM sector supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support your response.
5. What, if any, are the current barriers for your organisation in relation to the to scale-up, commercialisation and deployment of CAM in the UK? Please provide up to 5 barriers ranked from most to least impactful.
6. What role should government have, if any, in reducing and/or removing these barriers, and why?
Why is CAM important to the UK
7. Will CAM support the decarbonisation of transport so as to meet Government’s Net Zero ambitions? If yes, how will CAM support the decarbonisation of transport? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
8. Will CAM support economic growth and the creation of jobs across the country as set out in Government’s plans to level up the UK? If yes, how will CAM support economic growth and the creation of jobs across the UK? Please provide evidence to support this.
9. Will CAM support new trade and investment opportunities for the UK as set out in Government’s vision for Global Britain? If yes, how will CAM support new trade and investment opportunities for the UK? Please provide evidence to support this.
10. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the automotive industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the automotive industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
11. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the logistics industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the logistics industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
12. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on mobility services and their supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact mobility services and their supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
13. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the insurance industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the insurance industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
14. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the agriculture industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the agriculture industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
15. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the construction industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the construction industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
16. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the mining industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the mining industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
17. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the defence and security industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the defence and security industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
18. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the maritime industry and its supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the maritime industry and its supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
19. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on the aerospace and aeronautical industries and their supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact the aerospace and aeronautical industries and their supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
20. Will the deployment of CAM have a substantial impact on connectivity services and their supply chain? If yes, in what way will the deployment of CAM impact on connectivity services and their supply chain? Please provide specific evidence to support this.
21. Are there any sectors where CAM technologies, skills and knowledge could have a spill over impact? Please provide specific evidence to support your answer.
What next?
22.What areas should be priorities for the CAM sector in the UK in the period leading up to 2030 and why? Please provide up to 5 priority areas ranked from highest to lowest priority.
23.Where does CAM fit in your organisation’s strategy in the period leading up to 2030?
24. What would be the impact on the UK CAM sector and its supply chain if the UK government does not intervene further?
25.What societal benefits of CAM would not be realised if the UK government does not intervene further?
26. What key learnings should the UK take from its international counterparts in relation to the development and deployment of CAM? Please specify both the learning and the countries they relate to.
27. To what extent will your organisation be investing in CAM in the period leading up to 2030?
28. To what extent would government intervention in CAM (e.g. regulatory environment; funding technology development; skills training) impact your investment in CAM in the UK?
29. Under the Equality Act 2010, goods and services, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments so that everyone can access their facilities. Are there any specific considerations that need to be taken into our approach regarding the future of CAM in the UK? Please provide evidence to support this using either the space below or alternatively you can upload and attach any supporting documents using the upload option below.
30. If you have any further comments or suggestions about the future of CAM in the UK, please include them here.
How to respond
The consultation period began on 8 June 2021 and runs until the end of 23 July 2021.
You can respond via:
Please forward enquiries by email to enquiries@ccav.gov.uk.
See the BEIS consultation privacy notice.
Please do not send responses by post to the department at the moment as we may not be able to access them.