Driverless vehicles are heading for UK airports, buses, and roadworks
Key Points
- Nine self-driving vehicle projects have won a share of £17 million through the government's CAM Pathfinder programme
- Projects cover airport operations, public transport, passenger mobility, construction and highways maintenance
- Lead partners include Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK, Aurrigo, Five AI (Bosch Mobility) and Ringway Infrastructure Services
- The award sits inside a wider £130 million automotive package supporting over 1,800 jobs
- The SMMT expects connected and automated mobility to be worth around £66 billion to the UK economy by 2040
Nine self-driving vehicle projects covering airports, public transport, construction sites and road maintenance have won a share of £17 million in government funding.
The awards come through the 2026/27 CAM Pathfinder programme, announced by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade on Monday (10 August).
The nine projects span both the underlying technology and its real-world use, from sensors, brake-by-wire systems and AI simulation through to automated services running in passenger transport, airport operations, construction and highways maintenance.
The department said the projects will build UK supply chain capability and move commercially viable automated mobility services closer to everyday use.
The lead partners on the nine projects are:
- Gravis Robotics
- Cambridge County Council
- Alcon Advanced Technologies
- Five AI (Bosch Mobility)
- Aurrigo
- Oxford RF
- Calyo
- Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK
- Ringway Infrastructure Services.
Each project runs as a consortium with several further partners.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders puts the connected and automated mobility sector on course to contribute around £66 billion to the economy by 2040 and create tens of thousands of jobs.
Part of a wider automotive package
The £17 million forms part of nearly £130 million of combined government and industry investment announced on the same day, supporting more than 1,800 manufacturing jobs.
Almost £50 million of that goes to zero-emission vehicle technologies through the DRIVE35 programme, which commits £4 billion to 2035.
Recipients include Turntide Technologies in the North East and Bentley Motors in Crewe, following £100 million of DRIVE35 grants already delivered to supply chain firms in the North East and West Midlands.
“Britain invented the modern motor industry and we’re determined to ensure the next generation of vehicles are designed and built here too,” said Blair McDougall, industry minister.
DRIVE35 funding is administered by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK in partnership with Innovate UK.
