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£7m funding for WMG in Robotics and Intelligent Vehicle research

WMG at Warwick will receive over £7m funding to research ‘The Smart and Connected Vehicle’.

Through the National Automotive Innovation Campus (NAIC), robotics and autonomous systems research will lead the development and implementation of intelligent vehicles.

Co-funded by EPSRC (over £3m) and industry (over £3.5m), the research will focus on the long-term multi-disciplinary research challenges identified by the industry.

A multi-sensory virtual real-world environment will be built in NAIC which will enable intelligent vehicle systems to be developed to learn driver behaviour. The systems will be optimised to enable drivers to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, assist monotonous tasks and react to hazards, increasing vehicle safety.naic

The research will be delivered with leading academics and industry groups. The new facility will support the extensive and world-leading research capability at WMG, and in the network of international universities collaborating with industry through NAIC.

The unique research facility will support ground-breaking research, enabling the UK to take a leading role in whole system evaluation, smart and connected vehicles. It will strengthen the UK research base, providing a focus for a critical mass of expertise, integrated from a range of disciplines, with a clear pathway to impact in the automotive sector and beyond.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman and founder of WMG said:

This is a wonderful development for NAIC to be leading the development of ‘The Smarter and Connected Vehicle’. We will be working closely with industry to develop future products that will be crucial for these companies and the industry as a whole and which will bring significant benefits for the environment and driver safety.”

Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said:

For Britain to get ahead in the global race we have to back emerging technologies and ensure our universities have the latest equipment. This capital investment will help scientists make new discoveries and take their research through to commercial success. It will drive growth and support the Government’s industrial strategy."