Entries are now open for the third annual Self-Driving Industry Awards, the world’s #1 celebration of excellence in automated mobility.
Presented by Carsofthefuture.co.uk, the 2025 awards will follow the same peer-led format as previous years, with all entrants gaining the right to nominate deserving people and vehicles for the top honours.
The reigning Vehicle of the Year is the all-electric Ohmio Lift shuttle. It can carry up to 20 passengers, with disabled access prioritised via an automatic ramp and dedicated wheelchair bay.
Reigning Self-Driving Vehicle of the Year – the Ohmio Lift shuttle – in Margate in 2024
Neil Kennett, editor of Cars of the Future, commented: “From Milton Keynes to San Francisco, the global self-driving ecosystem continues to grow. These awards celebrate the world’s best new automated mobility products and services, and the incredible people behind them.”
The deadline for entries is 5pm UK-time on Friday 19 September 2025, with all shortlisted candidates receiving an invitation to the awards ceremony in November.
The world’s #1 converged mobility event returned to London’s Excel on 18-19 June, with UK self-driving taking centre stage, quite literally.
The show opened with a speech by Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP. Hot on the heels of the ITS UK event the previous day, she set the tone for another strong UK self-driving performance, saying: “By 2027, we will have one of the most robust safety frameworks for self-driving in the world.”
If MOVE 2023 was all about the environment, and 2024 was a victory for EV charging, this was self-driving’s year, illustrated by the headline chat on the main stage featuring Kaity Fischer, VP of Commercial and Fleet Operations at Wayve, in discussion with yours truly.
COTF editor Neil Kennett and Kaity Fischer of Wayve talk self-driving at MOVE 2025
The subject was “Embodied AI and the future of mobility” so naturally we started with Wayve’s AI Driver – how it differs from other systems, how it adapts to new environments without prior exposure, how most OEMs shunned it until quite recently, and why global brands like Nissan and Uber and now very much on-board.
Earlier, Lukas Neckermann, of PAVE Europe, had hosted a high-profile keynote on “The age of autonomous” featuring Pierre Pomper of Einride, Kathy Winter of May Mobility, Helen Pan of Baidu, and Gavin Jackson of Oxa.
High-profile self-driving panel on day one of MOVE 2025
It wasn’t just the prestigious slots either. Self-driving featured prominently throughout, across multiple theatres, from the biggest stands to the Start-up Village.
Self-driving & 5G
Skipping to the end, the final panel on day two was titled: Autonomous vehicles and 5G – how to ensure reliable, low-latency connectivity for driverless transport.
Also moderated by my good self, it featured Sunil Budhdeo, Transport Innovation Manager at Coventry City Council, Fabrizio de Paolis, 5G & 6G Manager at the European Space Agency, and Alex Walling, Head of Business Development for Network as Code at Nokia.
We largely focused on the safety-critical requirements for self-driving passenger vehicles, whether that’s automated driving features in privately-owned cars, robotaxis or public transport shuttles.
Starting with satellite connectivity and the role of international standards, we moved into network slicing and programmable services – how 5G networks can be more than just a pipeline – before finishing on collaborative working, how local authorities, the DfT, Ofcom and industry partners must come together to maximise the benefits of this cutting-edge tech.
Probably the most in-demand demonstration of the entire event was the driving rig on the Nokia stand – not a simulator but real-time, real-life remote operation – the chance to drive an actual car on a closed road in Estonia from a chair in an exhibition hall in Docklands. Impressive, engaging, and one in the eye for anyone doubting the viability of this important capability.
Neil Kennett remote operates a real car on a closed road in Estonia from MOVE 2025
In other news, it was great to hear from 2023 Self-Driving Industry Award winner Thomas Sors that Beam Connectivity are now operating in UK airports, from Ahmed Abdelazim that Sensible 4’s extreme weather expertise is becoming more widely appreciated, and from Martin Kahl that influential groups like FISITA are giving self-driving ever more attention.
Our reigning champions continue to go from strength-to-strength too, with Jose Paris updating us on the uptake of Streetscope’s Collision Hazard Measure, and Deniz Cetin confirming that Karsan are operating autonomously in ever more locations worldwide.
Other highlights
Elsewhere, there were plenty of non-self-driving attractions – from active travel solutions to mechanical wonders like the Neitem tilt technology, which dramatically reduces the risk of rollover in three-wheelers.
Thanks to Charlotte Jones of the Motability Foundation for explaining the logic behind a host of clever features in their new concept vehicle – notably improved access, more storage and the innovative utility bar.
Motability Foundation concept at MOVE 2025
We must also mention Dr Clare Mutzenich’s interview with Ali Russell, Managing Director of Extreme H, the world’s first hydrogen-powered off-road racing series.
We saw the car at a recent event at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium but were not aware of the groundbreaking approach – 50/50 male female driving teams with equal time behind the wheel, closing the racing opportunity gender gap and attracting a far more diverse audience than the likes of F1 and Nascar.
What else? Oh yes, we gave out loads of copies of the new Summer 2025 Cars of the Future magazine. The feedback was amazing, to the extent that we’re seriously considering becoming regular printers!
Active travel at MOVE 2025
Congrats to Grace, Mate, Maya and the whole Terrapinn team for another fantastic event, and kudos to Somdip Dey for being the snappiest dresser at the MOVE Groove afterparty.
We were delighted to attend the Intelligent Transport Systems UK (ITS UK) Parliamentary Reception at Westminster last week (Tuesday 17 June), with highlights including a policy update from Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP, and notable praise for the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act.
After initial networking and a chance to take in the glorious views from the Terrace Pavilion, we were greeted by Henry Tufnell MP, who referenced progress on the AV Act – prompting a spontaneous round of applause – the Bus Services Bill, Great British Railways (GBR), the National AI Strategy, and the Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS).
There followed a compelling short speech by Peter Simm, of event sponsor Mobius Networks. “Transport relies on digital systems, so we need to take cybersecurity seriously,” he said. “Imagine if impacts lasted for 6 weeks, like the recent M&S attack.”
Peter Simm, of Mobius Networks, at ITS UK Parliamentary Reception, June 2025
ITS UK Chief Executive, Max Sugarman, then spoke eloquently about expanding choice and joining up modes, helping local authorities move from trials to deployment, and having a grown-up conversation about road charging.
The gravitas of the occasion was reflected by the seniority of both the speakers and the ITS UK members in attendance. We heard from not only Lilian Greenwood MP, but also the Shadow Transport Minister, Lord Moylan, and the Lib Dem’s Transport Spokesperson, Paul Kohler MP.
All party support for AVs
Lord Moylan thanked ITS UK for fostering collaboration and promoting innovation. “The greatest risk lies in running away from new technology,” he said. “The Conservative Party is supportive of the AV Act, which lays the groundwork. It is a significant step to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of this technology.”
Lauding the Netherlands for its cutting-edge approach to integrated transport, Kohler urged greater local decision-making. “This cannot all come from the centre,” he said. “We need to hear what local communities need. Some rural areas have no buses at all, it’s just not good enough. Now is the time for ambition and innovation.”
The headline slot naturally went to the government. Lilian Greenwood (Labour member of parliament for Nottingham South since 2010, now Minister for the Future of Roads) spoke of the Department for Transport’s vision for “safer, faster journeys for everyone”.
Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP, at ITS UK Parliamentary Reception, June 2025
Describing AVs as “an example of the benefits AI can bring”, and the issue of marketing terms as “an important safety matter”, she added: “The months, years, decades ahead are full of opportunities for transport. If we get it right, there’s a very bright future.”
UK transport community
Formalities complete, we adjourned to the balcony by the Thames for further networking. Especially coming the day before MOVE London 2025 at Excel, there was a pleasing mix of familiar self-driving faces – Kenneth Clarke of Silvera Automotive Solutions, Hendrik Frenzel of Dromos, Jamie Hodsdon of Oxa, Karla Jakeman of TRL, and Richard Morris of Innovate UK – and representatives from the wider intelligent transport community.
Absolute pleasure to chat with Paula Claytonsmith of The Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG), Jordan Cowley of Transport for West Midlands (TFWM), ITS consultant Alistair Gollop, Paul Hudson of Now Wireless, Jon Lyons of Mobius, John Paddington of ERTICO, Ian Patey of WSP, Rachael Quinn of ITS UK, Dave Todman of Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Andrew Waight of Solent Streetworks.
Paul Hudson and Kenneth Clarke talking AV – not a bad view eh?
For more on how ITS UK is helping to build safer, greener, more integrated transport networks, visit its-uk.org
Your favourite self-driving news back in print for Summer 2025
In the run-up to MOVE 2024, we thought visitors to the AV theatre might like a hard copy compendium of our most-shared online news stories. It proved incredibly popular. They all went on the first morning and we had to print more for Cenex.
To let you in on a secret, last year’s was all rather last minute. We collected it from the printers on our way to Excel! This year, we were much more organised.
Self-driving news
The Summer 2025 edition – supported by Oxford RF, Self-Driving PR and Streetscope – profiles Aribo, Autoura and Ben, with key insights from BSI’s webinar, Zenzic CAM Innovators’ Day 2025, and, of course, The Self-driving Industry Awards.
Ready well in advance of MOVE, it made its public debut at the ITS UK Parliamentary Reception – reports on both events to follow.
It may not be as “fast-tracked” as widely advertised, but it is nonetheless great news that advanced trials of self-driving vehicles – basically on-road testing without a safety driver on-board – are scheduled to begin in the UK early next year.
When the AV Act passed back in May 2024, the then Conservative government of PM Rishi Sunak promised self-driving vehicles “on roads by 2026”.
A delay was never officially announced, but many industry insiders were resigned to a 2027 start date. As such, there is widespread relief that we are now, at least, back on track.
A Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) press release led with the eye-catching: “Driving innovation – 38,000 jobs on the horizon as pilots of self-driving vehicles fast-tracked”.
Intriguingly followed by: “From 2026, self-driving cars without a safety driver could be available for people to book via an app for the first time.”
June 2025: Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander backs UK to be world leader in self-driving
“The future of transport is arriving,” said Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. “Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world-leaders in new technology.
“With road safety at the heart of our pilots and legislation, we continue to take bold steps to create jobs, back British industry, and drive innovation to deliver our Plan for Change.”
Supporting comments
The release went on to quote multiple interested parties…
Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle: “It’s great to see the UK storming ahead as a global leader in using this technology – making our roads safer, travel easier and driving growth by spurring innovation across the country.”
Wayve CEO, Alex Kendall (our inaugural Self-Driving Industry Person of the Year Award Winner): “Accelerating commercial self-driving pilots to 2026 positions the UK as a leading destination for the deployment of L4 self-driving technology. These early pilots will help build public trust and unlock new jobs, services, and markets.”
SMMT Chief Executive, Mike Hawes (who last year warned of delays jeopardising competitiveness): “Pilot rollout of commercial self-driving services from next year will widen public access to mobility, while the consultation will ensure the technology is deployed in a safe and responsible way. These latest measures will help Britain remain a world leader in the development and introduction of self-driving vehicles, a manifest application of AI at its finest.”
Oxa’s Gavin Jackson: “Oxa welcomes the Department for Transport’s (DfT) decision to enable driverless services on British roads by 2026. Since 2024, Oxa has advocated for an expedited regulatory regime. Clear rules will open up the market and encourage transport companies to introduce the benefits of autonomous vehicles across the country.”
Uber’s Sarfraz Maredia: “Uber already enables tens of thousands of driverless trips each month worldwide through partnerships with leading AV developers. Having recently appointed a dedicated leader for our UK autonomous efforts, we look forward to working with regulators and partners to deploy this technology safely in Britain.”
Waymo’s Michelle Peacock: “The United Kingdom has long been home to our first European engineering team dedicated to the development of our AI-powered Waymo Driver. We’re delighted to see the government lay the groundwork for new investment possibilities in the years ahead.”
TechUK’s Julian David OBE: “Today’s announcement is great news for the UK’s AV and tech sectors. Safety must be front and centre of any new regulatory regime. The call for evidence on the statement of safety principles enables a healthy discourse on what outcomes the public should expect from self-driving vehicles.”
Congrats to Uber on maximising the press opportunity – see “Uber to bring self-driving cars on to Britain’s streets next year” in The Telegraph, and “Driverless Uber taxis coming to UK in MONTHS – all you need to know” in The Mirror.
Any connection between this and the commitment to enable “people to book via an app” we wonder? We also welcome these additional comments…
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)Policy Director, Steve Cole: “RoSPA welcomes the government’s announcement as an important step towards ensuring that people will be able to benefit from self-driving technology as safely as possible.”
Chair of RoadSafe, Arun Srinivasan: “Collision avoidance and advanced driver assistance systems have already proved to be vital in reducing casualties and technology has further potential to prevent crashes.”
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Chief Executive, Matt Stringer: “RNIB welcomes the pilot scheme of autonomous vehicles. Blind and partially sighted people are already navigating increasingly automated streetscapes, not just as future passengers, but as pedestrians today. The true potential of autonomous vehicles will only be realised when they’re safe, accessible and intuitive for everyone, from the pavement to the passenger seat.”
Chief Executive of Motability Operations, Andrew Miller: “Automated vehicles have the potential to be transformative. Implementing this technology on the UK’s roads could help our disabled customers be better connected to work, education, healthcare and wider society.”
Meanwhile, Waymo has reportedly suspended service in parts of Los Angeles after its robotaxis were targeted during protests following immigration raids. Did someone mention public trust?
Q&A with Alex Bainbridge, of Autoura, on the first digital sightseeing products for self-driving vehicles.
For years, tourism entrepreneur and CEO of Autoura, Alex Bainbridge, has been urging the UK to concede the self-driving engineering race and focus on the business opportunity.
An expert in customer experience and key member of The Self-Driving Industry Awards judging panel, we thought it was high time for an update.
Alex, tell us about Autoura’s vision for self-driving tourism
In conversations about autonomous vehicles, it’s easy to get caught up in robotaxis, last-mile logistics and urban commuting. But what happens when autonomy is personal and you fancy a getaway? Parts of this future are already here.
Today, if a family wants to visit Stonehenge from London, they might join a coach tour. Those seeking a more personalised experience might book a private tour, typically involving an executive car with a professional driver. Spend a bit more, and that driver may also serve as a guide.
We at Autoura, in collaboration with Bespoke England Tours, are developing a new kind of private tour, where the guiding role is handled by an AI tour guide. It’s a hybrid model, for now, a revenue-focused concept which prepares us for a near-term future when the driver role is removed altogether.
Dr Clare Hart and other Autoura AI tour guides… the natural endpoint for self-driving cars
And you’ve got a revenue-generating transitional model ready to go?
Yes. Leisure journeys are different in that people demand interaction, an experience. Our guests ride in a premium vehicle, with our AI tour guide providing the backstory, answering questions and bringing the ancient stones to life. Our approach is designed as a three-stage progression:
1) Car + driver-guide: The traditional premium model. Human expertise in the seat beside you. 2) Car + driver + AI tour guide: Our current product. A real-world blend of autonomy and automation. 3) Autonomous car + AI tour guide: The natural endpoint for a privately owned AV used for leisure.
This minimum viable product offers everything but the self-driving car itself. Crucially, it prepares the user experience for when that final component arrives.
Stonehenge is not just iconic, it’s the perfect place to test. The drive from London is about two hours, mostly on motorways. The experience on-site is sequentially structured, making it ideal for AI-guided tourism. There are so many exciting possibilities, and we’re proud to be leading the AV tourism revolution.
For more from Alex, and others, on the rise of AI in tour guiding, check out the new Cyborguide blog site.
Calls to accelerate advanced trials, investment and public education at UK self-driving APPG
On Wednesday 7 May, we were delighted to attend the Self-Driving Vehicles All-Party Parliamentary Group’s Road to Growth event at Portcullis House, Westminster.
As usual, there were representatives from across the transport ecosystem, with legal services and the insurance industry particularly well represented this time.
Opening the session, Self-Driving APPG Chair and Labour Growth Group Co-Chair, Chris Curtis MP, called on the government to be more nimble and agile in pursuit of global technology leadership.
[L-R] Pat McFadden MP and Chris Curtis MP on an Ohmio self-driving shuttle in Milton Keynes
He then handed over to the expert panellists: David Wong, Senior Technology and Innovation Manager at The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), and Sarah Gates, Head of Public Policy at Wayve.
Self-driving AI
Describing automated driving as “an application of AI at its finest”, Wong highlighted 2023 SMMT research, funded by Innovate UK, showing that that the market for connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) could be worth £66 billion in the UK by 2040, creating 342,000 jobs and preventing 60,000 serious accidents.
“As an industry, we are fully supportive,” he said. “We now need to take the leap to commercial deployments on our roads.”
Pointing to three Ps – profit, people, and the planet – he urged swift action on: 1) Regulation to enable advanced trials, taking out the safety driver; 2) Strategic investment to build the business case and support manufacturing in the UK; and 3) Public education.
Noting that it is almost exactly a year since the AV Act received Royal Assent, Gates explained how London-based Wayve has grown from an AI startup to a global company with 600+ employees.
Backed by Nvidia and Microsoft, it is now licensing its software to major vehicle manufacturers. Notably, Nissan announced last month that its 2027 ProPILOT system will include Wayve’s AI Driver.
UK timescale
Asked by Curtis about the cybersecurity risk of malevolent forces potentially seizing control of an entire fleet of self-driving vehicles, Gates pointed to the robustness of UN Regulation 155, which focuses on the cybersecurity of all vehicles.
There is growing frustration among self-driving leaders that the tech is ready now, already being rolled out elsewhere, yet the UK timescale seems to be slipping.
“It takes real ministerial push to speed that up,” said Gates. “We’ve been consulting for six years!”
Meanwhile, Waymo alone is now providing 260,000 rides per week in America, increasing safety and accessibility for ever more willing customers.
We Want Clean Air and Campaign for Accessible Transport protesters celebrated at home of Self-Driving Industry Awards.
The current lead exhibition at the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate, venue for The Self-Driving Industry Awards, highlights the incredible history of campaigns for cleaner and more accessible transport, among other great causes.
Curated by artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen, “Resistance” sets out to tell forgotten stories of how ordinary people fought for change between 1903 and 2003.
We Want Clean Air
For us, two of the most eye-catching images are by Henry Grant, detailing the We Want Clean Air protest and showing the grim levels of smog in central London in 1956.
Pictures by Henry Grant at the Resistance exhibition at the Turner Contemporary in Margate, 2025
Here at CARS OF THE FUTURE we’ve noticed an increasing appreciation of how connected and automated mobility (CAM) can accelerate the transition to net zero.
We’re delighted to announce that we’re partnering with them once again for Cenex Expo 2025 at UTAC Proving Ground, Millbrook, in September – registration open now!
As Ian Constance, CEO of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) and Zenzic, told CAM Innovators 2025: “CAM and net-zero are on different tracks which I believe will converge thanks to CAM’s potential to go beyond the vehicle, to tear up ownership models.”
We Want Accessible Transport
Another stunning shot was taken by Brenda Price, in 1989, showing members of The Campaign for Accessible Transport (CAT) trying to board a bus in Whitehall.
Picture by Brenda Price at the Resistance exhibition at the Turner Contemporary in Margate, 2025
For our part, we’ll continue to showcase the fantastic work of organisations such as the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) in ensuring that self-driving does indeed become a “transformative technology for a lot of disabled people”.
We did, of course, present our 2024Design Award jointly to TRL and the RiDCfor their ground-breaking project to support the development of inclusive automated transport technologies and services.
See this short film, funded by the Motability Foundation, on the needs, perceptions, and challenges faced by disabled people:
Project participant, Kirsty, said: “I’ve been disabled since about 2008. My condition causes degradation of my nervous system. I use a power chair, which fits my particular needs, and I use public transport a lot.
“Access ramps need to be tested not just for one kind of wheelchair, but for a few varieties. For me, this one was absolutely fine. I could get in fairly easily because compared to most existing buses the door is wider and they’ve been generous with the aisle space. I’m quite practiced at it, though, and I could see the difficulties that others had, so it does need changes.
“Pretty much everyone will become disabled eventually. If you live long enough, you’ll get to a point where you’re going to struggle with mobility. By designing for all of us, you’re helping everybody, including your future self.
“You want either a bus driver or attendant there when you’re on your own and you’re vulnerable already. That’s my worry about completely driverless vehicles. The ideal accessible autonomous vehicle for me is one where I can turn up, press a button, and someone will come out. I can tell it where I want to go and have a stress-free journey.”
Self-Driving Industry Awards
Entries for The Self-Driving Industry Awards 2025 open at 9am UK-time on Tuesday 1 July and we look forward to welcoming the winners to Margate to enjoy what JMW Turner called ‘the loveliest’ skies in Europe.
Turner Contemporary on the day of the inaugural Self-Driving Industry Awards in 2023
93-year-old Brad Ashton on Nissan’s evolvAD self-driving project: This is the future of motoring
Nissan has announced the successful completion of its evolvAD self-driving project, including on-road testing with a safety driver on rural roads in Bedfordshire.
As we covered back in 2023, Evolv was designed to build on the HumanDrive and ServCity projects. “Having done highway and city centre driving, the logical next step was the last miles – getting from a rural village onto a motorway or navigating a small urban side street to make a delivery,” explained Bob Bateman, Project Manager at Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE).
To illustrate the benefits, Nissan invited 93-year-old grandfather-of-five Brad Ashton from Enfield – a retired comedy scriptwriter who prepared material for Groucho Marx, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson – to try its latest autonomous driving technology… as you can see in this video:
Self-driving poll
As part of the project, Nissan commissioned OnePoll to conduct a survey of 1,000 people aged over 70. The key findings were: A chance to ride in a self-driving car would make 67% feel nervous, 24% intrigued. 64% would like “the tech of the future” to help people stay independent.
“I’ve always wondered what the cars of the future would be like – and this is it,” said Ashton. “I was very proud to be the first older person to try this car out.
“It was exciting travelling on these winding country roads with the team. I thought I would feel frightened or worried, but felt safe and relaxed throughout the experience.
“Being independent and still being able to drive is really important to me – my car is vital as my local bus service is quite poor, and my wife can’t get on a bus.
“People like me that depend on a car, or that can’t drive, will benefit from this tech to help them stay in touch with friends and family and keep them from feeling isolated, particularly in rural areas where there are fewer transport options.”
Brad Ashton with Nissan’s evolvAD self-driving car, 2025
Self-driving VM
As technical lead for evolvAD, Nissan facilitated the driving of more than 16,000 autonomous miles along UK motorways, urban roads and country lanes, with no accidents.
David Moss, Senior Vice President, R&D for Nissan’s AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania) region, said: “It has been a privilege working with our dedicated partners to advance automated driving mobility.
“As well as making driving safer by reducing human error, and cleaner by improving efficiency, this technology can give many more people access to mobility who may not have it today due to location, age or disability.”
UK self-driving event report: Zenzic Connected and Automated Mobility Innovators’ Day 2025
The annual Zenzic CAM Innovators’ Day at The Institution of Engineering and Technology in London is always a great occasion, an opportunity to take the temperature of UK self-driving.
If 2024 was all about the business opportunity, this was the year of economic reality – of major trials coming to fruition, increasing confidence in the tech, notable successes abroad, and a readiness (an imperative, even) to accelerate rollout here in the UK.
While there were plenty of new faces on-stage and in the audience, our host was the familiar figure of industry legend Professor Paul Newman CBE, co-founder of Oxa.
Reflecting briefly on the last 12 months – DeepSeek, tumbling sensor costs, a new UK government and ‘new world order’ – he introduced Professor Sarah Sharples, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Transport.
Sharples praised the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) as an “outstanding model” of cross-department working, highlighted the 1,600 UK road deaths last year – “a Grenfell every two weeks” – and the responsibility “of people in this room to deliver on the impact of the AV Act”.
Pressed by Newman on which body will regulate UK self-driving – the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) or the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) – there was no concrete answer, but perhaps a clue in that “We need a revolution in the MOT”. The DVSA then?
UK self-driving on schedule?
Next up was Mark Cracknell, Program Director at Zenzic, who nutshelled the key challenge of moving “from surviving to thriving”. He noted that the UK was “there or there abouts” in terms of hitting the milestones set out in the CAM roadmaps, first to 2030 and then to 2035, driven by government and industry partnerships.
Self-driving investment v risk – Zenzic slide at CAM Innovators 2025
“Where will Waymo and Baidu look to deploy next?” he asked, and “What does this mean for our home players?” Pertinent questions indeed.
There followed an entertaining bilateral: Newman and Opteran co-founder David Rajan discussing the relative merits of the latter’s neuromorphic foundation model, which presents insect brain modelling as an alternative to data centres.
“Silicon Valley companies have been trying for years to build a drone which can fly round any house, and they can’t because every house is different,” said Rajan. “Bees are amazing decisionmakers with incredible spatial awareness. Our software can drive using a Blackberry Pi.” Newman agreed “there are different ways to do AI” but wasn’t entirely convinced!
CAM and net zero
Before the morning break, Ian Constance, CEO of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) and Zenzic, set the scene for a panel discussion on CAM and net zero. “They are on different tracks which I believe will converge thanks to CAM’s potential to go beyond the vehicle, to tear up ownership models,” he said.
The panel, chaired by the APC’s Rik Adams, featured Mike Looney of Caterpillar, Matthew Butters of the British Aviation Group, Sarah Windrum of Horiba Mira, and Jim Hutchinson of Self-Driving Industry Award-winner, Fusion Processing.
CAM and net zero panel, chaired by the APC’s Rik Adams
Butters emphasised the importance of safety and security. Windrum described self-driving as “a gamechanger”. Looney highlighted studies showing a 30% fuel saving for AVs over human drivers.
“The more you can make AV services commercially viable, the more you can get people out of their cars and into buses, which is great for net zero,” said Hutchinson.
“How and when to scale is a judgement call. The questions used to be about the technology, but that barrier is coming down because people can see it working. The safety and security can be demonstrated, and there’s growing evidence of a commercial return.”
While others were having a caffeine injection, KPMG’s Jenny Millard gave us the lowdown on their work for the SMMT and Automotive Council on commercial readiness across eight sectors. The headline is mining within 18 months and public transport by 2030. More on that another day.
Regulatory balance
Back in the main theatre, Ben Gardner, of law firm Shoosmiths, introduced a section on ‘The regulatory balancing act’ – safety v costs, accountability v bureaucracy, protection v innovation.
Shoosmiths on self-driving’s regulatory balancing act
The subsequent panel, moderated by Rakhi Jain of Motability Operations, featured Steve Kendall of the DVSA, Yunus Jabalpurwala of Honda R&D Europe, George Lawley of Marsh McLennan, and Marty Zekas of CCAV.
“We need input from insurance on how to make the jump from conventional vehicles to AVs,” said Zekas. Responding, Lawley said: “We have seen government introduce sophisticated regulation at pace before, and we need that now.”
The risk of being left behind on the global stage was mentioned more than once. “CAM is within the government’s growth mission,” Zekas reassured them. “Developing options for testing without a safety driver in the near future.”
Closing the morning session, Paula Claytonsmith, Chief Executive of the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG), praised the unique mix of speakers.
Lunch included a delicious deconstructed crumble and a wide-ranging chat with Matthew Butters.
“A challenge of airports growing post-Covid is the need to transport more people from further away, so AVs seem like a good solution,” he said. “Then there’s the potential for airside servicing vehicles.” Again, we’ll bring you more on that another day.
Hard-won victories
Any fears of an after-lunch lull were quickly dispelled as Mike Dawson of Project Harlander detailed impressive progress at one of the UK’s leading self-driving trials – the last mile passenger service on private roads at Belfast Harbour in Northern Ireland.
Designed to achieve modal shift, the key finding was that “The services are only commercially viable when the safety driver or attendant is removed.”
Project Harlander – encouraging modal shift and reducing emissions
Dawson then joined probably the session of the day – on first-mover advantage – an info-packed panel moderated by Tom Burgess-Langhelt of PA, and featuring Claire Spooner of Innovate UK, Liz St Louis of The Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS) project, Dr Andy Harris of Wrightbus, and Kyle Thomas of Saif Autonomy.
Harlander and SAMS were two of the seven Commercialising CAM competition winners announced back in February 2023. St Louis reported that SAMS is now running 95%+ autonomously, providing a new shuttle service to Sunderland Royal Hospital.
In January, it was confirmed that Oxa would provide the vehicle – their modified Ford E-Transit – after the previous supplier dropped out. Operated by Stagecoach, St Louis said the team “have been blown away by how good the technology is”.
“The minute people go on the vehicle, their perception changes, and that was my experience as well,” she continued. “There’s a societal readiness now. So many great use cases – rural areas, seaside resorts.”
Dr Harris outlined some practical issues specific to buses, for example, if someone steps out in front of a car with automatic emergency braking (AEB), the driver with a seatbelt should be fine.
The same scenario in a bus with standing passengers could have a very different outcome. Should seating and seatbelts therefore be compulsory?
CAM Innovators 2025 panel moderated by Tom Burgess-Langhelt
“We can prove with data that autonomy can be safer,” said Thomas. “But the US market is taking the engineers. The UK is falling behind.”
Spooner outlined how multiple CAM and net zero projects were showing job shifts rather than losses, for example, with drivers becoming teleoperators and hairdressers being well-suited to roles at battery gigafactories.
Suddenly, the last panel of the day was upon us – on moving from Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) to ‘productisation’, with the help of grants.
Professor David Keene of Aurrigo explained how UK government backing had enabled him to target the business case within airports, develop the world-leading Auto-Cargo vehicle, and sign a landmark partnership with UPS. “The export opportunities are huge,” he said.
He then joined a panel, moderated by the APC’s Alex Wood, featuring Karla Jakeman of TRL, Richard Jinks of Oxa, Kieran Borrett of Plug and Play, and the aforementioned Jenny Millard of KPMG.
With a transparency typical of the event, it was agreed that any major trial will likely include at least one project change request (PCR) and, so long as there’s reasonable justification, that’s fine.
“Grants can help you pivot into new areas,” said Borrett. “We are not short of demand,” said Jinks. “Oxa has 420 people now and the challenge is to keep the startup mindset, to keep moving at pace.”
The closing spot went to UK self-driving stalwart, Michael Talbot, Deputy Head of CCAV, who emphasised that CAM is an important part of the government’s flagship growth strategy.
UK self-driving stalwart, Michael Talbot, Deputy Head of CCAV
“As we celebrate our 10th birthday, CCAV has funded 130 projects,” he said. “We see time and again, it is difficult, it is difficult, and then you’re there. Effective collaboration is a UK strength and, looking ahead, we want to stop the stop-start with more continuous funding.”
It was exactly what everyone needed to hear. Now, along with all other sectors, we await news of the Spending Review.
![[L-R] Pat McFadden MP and Chris Curtis MP on an Ohmio self-driving shuttle in Milton Keynes](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_800,h_600/https://carsofthefuture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/McFadden_Curtis_Ohmio_Jan25.jpg)
