Jumping in the driving seat to transform connected cars

Midlands Future Mobility will be at the heart of the UK’s transport network, making a significant contribution to the UK’s national transport strategy, and will play a crucial role in shaping the transport sector. It will firmly establish the UK’s presence in the connected and autonomous vehicle market, and contribute to the UK’s Industrial Strategy.

The specially selected networked roads cover a range of representative areas and will be the largest, most diverse testing environment in the UK, with the deployment of new roadside infrastructure including smart vehicle monitoring, data analytics and 5G ready wireless infrastructure. By using real world environments Midlands Future Mobility will enable a variety of industries to test new vehicle technologies and services, with the aim of improving integration.

Midlands Future Mobility is a consortium of industry and academic experts that, through ambitious technology and business innovation, will work together to transform the way we experience transport.

The consortium is being led by WMG, University of Warwick, and includes Amey, AVL, Costain, Coventry University, HORIBA MIRA Ltd, Wireless Infrastructure Group, and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). The £25m funding has come from industrial partners and Innovate UK as part of the wider Meridian Mobility initiative.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman of WMG, commented: “The work of Midlands Future Mobility will help create a world where we can enjoy seamless, safe automated journeys. It will be a major step change in how we experience transport.”

WMG’s Professor Paul Jennings, who is the lead of the project said: “New mobility technology and services will lead to safer, greener and more efficient transportation for both people and goods. At WMG, we are delighted to be leading the Midlands Future Mobility consortium, working with a broad and highly skilled group of partners, and helping to accelerate this journey to a better future.

"The Midlands has a proud heritage in the UK car industry. Now our expertise, new infrastructure and innovative technologies will set the future for the entire UK road transport system, creating knowledge, developing key skill sets and contributing to the national economy.”

Dr Daniel Ruiz, CEO at Meridian Mobility added: “We are delighted to welcome the launch of Midlands Future Mobility. This is a fundamental pillar of our national capability for the testing and development of connected and self-driving vehicle technologies. The UK’s CAV development ecosystem leverages world-leading transport policy and collaborative investment to accelerate the adoption of the technology and systems which will deliver societal benefits at the earliest opportunity.”