The UK government has announced an investment of more than £50m for 30 manufacturing projects designed to to advance clean, green technologies and stimulate economic growth through job creation.
The funding initiative, which includes an £11m grant awarded to 12 fast-start projects through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), aims to expedite the development of innovative automotive products, ranging from motorcycles to buses and cars.
With industry match-funding, the projects will receive a total of £22.7m within the next 12 months.
Additionally, the UK Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) is contributing £18.5m in R&D grant funding for 43 British companies. Some 13 of these projects focus on self-driving technologies, products, and services, with winners including Wayve, Nissan and Zero Point Motion.
Jesse Norman, UK decarbonisation and technology minister, said: “Self-driving vehicles have the potential to transform how we get around, making journeys safer, more convenient and more accessible while also creating skilled jobs.
“These grant winners underline how the UK is at the cutting edge in developing automated technologies that are not only innovative but have safety at their heart.”
Some £5.5m of the funding will also be used to establish a Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence, bolstering training provision to support growth and job creation in the sector.
