£25 million boost for self-driving technology: apply for funding
Businesses can apply for a share of up to £25 million to develop, demonstrate and trial technologies for connected and autonomous vehicles in real-world settings.
The funding will support business opportunities that could be introduced as services by 2020.
The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) has up to £25 million to invest in up to 4 pilot schemes for self-driving vehicles.
Funding is for pilots of self-driving passenger vehicles which include at least a 6-month trial in a public or semi-controlled setting. Trials should have a clear commercial focus, with potential to become an enduring service.
CCAV was set up by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Transport to help ensure the UK is a world leader in developing and testing connected and autonomous vehicles.
It is investing £150 million, match-funded by industry over 5 years, into cutting edge technologies. Trials are already under way in Bristol, Coventry, Greenwich and Milton Keynes.
Projects must pilot viable business opportunities
Projects should aim to test and validate:
- the technologies against a clear user need
- public acceptance of the technologies
- the business models that will deliver the service
They should focus on a viable and sustainable business opportunity that could be introduced as a service from the early 2020s.
Competition information
- the competition opens on 25 June 2018, and the deadline for applications is at midday on 19 September 2018
- projects must be led by a business working with other businesses and researchers
- we expect projects to have total costs of between £4 million and £20 million and to last between 18 and 30 months
- businesses could attract up to 70% of their total project costs
- briefing events will be held in London, Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow and Sunderland at the end of June and beginning of July 2018