Expert comment from Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG on the UK Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan

“I welcome this timely and ground-breaking AI Opportunities Action Plan by the UK Government. We thank both the UK Government and Matthew Clifford CBE for laying a solid foundation for the UK’s AI development and deployment in the coming decade.

‘‘AI has huge potential to help develop different life-changing technologies. However, AI, when used in safety-critical applications such as Self-Driving vehicles and Advanced Driver Assistance technology, needs to be trusted. With the lack of internationally-agreed methodologies or mechanisms to prove that AI is safe, we urge the government to prioritise safe AI in this plan.

‘‘We welcome the announcement of AI Growth Zones, which could attract significant investment into the UK in high-growth sectors such as Safe Automated Mobility. For example, at WMG we have partnered with leading AI developer Wayve on our £1.9 million-research project, DriveSafe AI, to develop scalable engineering safety guidelines and mechanisms to prove AI is safe for self-driving technology while sharing with the ecosystem and building on international standards like ISO/PAS 8800.’’

Read more about WMG’s Safe Autonomy research here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/research/research-areas/safeautonomy

Professor David GreenwoodLink opens in a new window, CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult at WMG, comments on the newly established UK Steel Council.

“The establishment of the Steel Council marks a turning point in the narrative of the UK steel industry as it transitions to a clean, green, digitalised future.

“To succeed, government, industry, trade unions and research bodies must work together to deliver a long-term strategy encompassing policy; technology; skills; supply chains, and regions.

“WMG, as a centre of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, is delighted to contribute to the success of the Council and help to secure the future of the UK steel industry.”

Congratulations to Dr Xingyu ZhaoLink opens in a new window, from WMG at the University of Warwick’s Safe Autonomy research group, who has been awarded the EPSRC’s prestigious New Investigator AwardLink opens in a new window (NIA).

The purpose of the NIA scheme is to address a gap identified in the funding landscape and support researchers to develop their own research vision.

Dr Xingyu ZhaoLink opens in a new window, Assistant Professor in Safety-Critical Systems, was praised for his project entitled: "Harnessing Synthetic Data Fidelity for Assured Perception of Autonomous Vehicles."

The project focused on scenario-based virtual testing for Autonomous Vehicle (AV) safety, developing a rigorous framework to define and quantify synthetic data fidelity, and explore how this impacts public confidence.

By advancing synthetic data and AV safety research, Dr Zhao’s research supports industry innovation, shapes safety standards, and ultimately enables the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles.

A PhD student from WMG at the University of Warwick, has been honoured at the International Rubber Conference Organisation (IRCO) RubberCon 2024.

The IRCO RubberCon, an annual event organised by a careful selection of rubber societies, gathers industry leaders and experts for insightful discussions. This year’s conference, held in Kerala, India, focused on the theme, “Sustainable Development in the Rubber Industry: Challenges and Opportunities.”

Ajitha Achuthanunni, who is based in WMG’s International Institute of Nanocomposite Manufacturing (IINM), received the Best Presentation Award for her groundbreaking research on composites of 2D materials and rubber blends.

WMG, at The University of Warwick (UK), and Binghamton University (USA) have entered an agreement to explore collaboration in the fields of science, technology and education with the aim of fueling vital battery manufacturing capability in both countries. The new five-year memorandum of understanding sets the foundation to encourage the sharing of academic, scientific and cultural experiences between the two institutions, both pioneers in the battery field.

Battery research and educational materials for training will be a key element of the collaboration, which will explore access to shared facilities and equipment to maximize the capabilities of both institutions.

Staff and students from across WMG and the University of Warwick were pleased to support the Youth Energy SummitLink opens in a new window at the Coventry Building Society Arena in November 2024.

The Summit was organised by the Highly Sprung theatre group who asked delegates to reimagine a more equitable and sustainable future for the region.

The young delegates heard from keynote speakers on sustainability issues including WMG’s Principal Engineer and Member of Coventry City Council's Climate Change Board, Dr Russell HallLink opens in a new window. Workshops were also held by the WMG Outreach team and the Warwick Institute of Engagement. 

The SafeBatt project, involving battery experts from WMG at the University of Warwick, has won a Safety Innovation Award at the Electrical Product SafetyLink opens in a new window Conference. 

The conference was held in London on Thursday (21^st November) with the awards recognising and celebrating the best engineering collaborations and innovations across the UK. 

Funded by the Faraday Institution, SafeBatt is a collaboration of seven universities as well as industry partners investigating the science behind battery safety.  

WMG at the University of Warwick has added three new courses, to its Master's education portfolio, in AI; engineering design and digital healthcare.

From September 2025, WMG is now offering:

• MSc Applied Artificial Intelligence  Link opens in a new window(AAI)

This programme is designed to meet the booming demand for AI specialists. With artificial intelligence transforming industries and creating new career paths, the course emphasises real-world applications, ethics, and AI-driven decision-making.

• MSc Engineering Design Management  Link opens in a new window(EDM)

EDM targets professionals who want to combine technical engineering knowledge with advanced management skills. This course is tailored to produce graduates capable of overseeing complex design processes while managing teams and resources efficiently.

• MSc Digital Transformation for Healthcare  Link opens in a new window(DTH)

This course has been designed to respond to the growing demand for digital innovation in healthcare. With an emphasis on using digital tools to improve patient care, data management, and healthcare delivery, this programme is intended for both healthcare professionals and those in technology roles who wish to make an impact in healthcare systems.

This is a collaborative programme delivered by WMG, Warwick Medical School, and the NHS.

WMG at the University of Warwick's collaborative, industry-driven approach was noted in a recent Ofsted report, where the University was praised for its commitment to delivering high-quality and transformative degree apprenticeship programmes.

The inspection highlighted Warwick's dedication to fostering valuable learning experiences across its degree apprenticeships, which are provided by key departments including WMG, Warwick Medical School; the School of Engineering, the Department of Computer Science, and the Centre for Lifelong Learning.

Warwick's approach was praised by the Ofsted inspectors, who found that the training offered aligns closely with local, regional and national skills shortages.

Professor Rob Thornton, Associate Dean Undergraduate Programmes, at WMG said: “On behalf of the entire team, I’m thrilled that the inspectors have recognised the strengths of the University’s degree apprenticeships, with over 60% based here in WMG, spanning Engineering and Digital Technologies.”

New research on the enhancement of the lifespan and performance of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles has been published by experts at WMG, the University of Warwick.

The paper, published in Joule – a leading sustainable energy journal - explores charge compensation in Li-ion battery cathodes by assessing the electronic structure.

WMG scientists in collaboration with academic partners in the Faraday Institution’s Degradation and FutureCat projects have experimentally demonstrated that oxygen (rather than the transition metal, as previously believed) is the redox active species, and is responsible for the energy storage mechanism.

Matthew Ogley, PhD Researcher at WMG, who led the project together with Dr Ashok S. Menon, explained: “This work highlights the bulk stability of NMC811 cathodes within high voltage cycling windows. By now focusing on surface stabilisation to minimise degradation, our research highlights practical strategies for the creation of longer-lasting batteries, which is crucial for electric vehicles.”