Celebrating excellence in automated mobility, in the UK and internationally, the fourth annual Self-Driving Industry Awards – SDIA26 – will follow the same peer-led format as previous years.
We kindly invite applications in the following 12 categories (A-Z), with all entrants gaining the right to nominate deserving people and products for the top honours, including Industry Legend and Vehicle Of The Year.
- Aftermarket
- Consumer service
- Design
- Fleet operator
- Hardware
- Insurance
- Legal
- Research
- Software
- Testing
- Trust
- V2X
*As last year, small companies and new start-ups can apply under “Launchpad” for a reduced fee.
To enter, please check out the How to write a winning entry page, download the SDIA26 Entry Form and email it with any supporting documents to melody@carsofthefuture.co.uk
Criteria & Judging
Performance is assessed by the Self-Driving Industry Awards Panel on criteria including commercial success, societal benefit and technical advancement.
The expectations in each category are as follows…
Aftermarket
Examples of exceptional self-driving vehicle maintenance and repair provision incl. technician training, tools and equipment.
Consumer Service
Examples of exceptional service to the end user, whether that be robotaxi passengers, delivery recipients or commercial partners.
Design
Examples of exceptional digital or physical design, incl. interior and exterior look and feel, accessibility, comfort, capacity and interactivity.
Fleet operator
Examples of exceptional AV fleet management in terms of safety, standards, operational efficiency, collaboration and innovation.
Hardware
Examples of exceptional electrical and/or mechanical engineering incl. computing hard parts, camera, lidar, radar, sensors and actuators.
Insurance
Examples of exceptional thought leadership or service provision incl. commercial rollout support, liability frameworks and risk data usage.
Legal
Examples of exceptional thought leadership or service provision in regulation and litigation incl. technical standards, data and liability laws.
Research
Examples of exceptional thought leadership or service provision in research incl. academic papers, market analysis, and public opinion studies.
Software
Examples of exceptional software development incl. operating system, middleware, applications, cybersecurity and development tools.
Testing
Examples of exceptional proving and homologation incl. real-world testbeds and digital simulations for crash testing and vehicle dynamics.
Trust
Examples of exceptional progress in acceptance and approval, with an emphasis on UX in terms of comfort, cost, reliability and safety.
V2X
Examples of exceptional wi-fi, 5G/6G connectivity incl. for infotainment, navigation, safety, fleet management and remote driving.
The deadline for entries is 5pm UK-time on Friday 11 September 2026, with all shortlisted candidates receiving an invitation to the awards ceremony in October.
Any questions, please get in touch: melody@carsofthefuture.co.uk / +44 (0)7709 234967
For Ts&Cs, please click here
