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 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 be led by a business working with other businesses and researchers. 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.
