UK Industrial Strategy confirms new autonomous vehicle test centre

The UK government's 2017 Industrial Strategy report has outlined plans for a new autonomous and connected vehicle test centre, which will be built to boost the UK's role as an automotive technology world leader.

The yet-to-be-located site (more details of which will be revealed later this year), will boost the UK's armoury for the development of future automotive tech. It currently includes an Advanced Propulsion Centre that was built in Coventry in 2013, which came as part of the government's £1 billion (Rs 9,843 crore) investment plan into low carbon transport technology.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s green paper also predicts that the UK's electricity grid will need to be heavily upgraded in order to cater for the power demands of electric vehicles. It says, "Ensuring that our grid is smart and resilient to new demands – and new sources of supply – will be important for energy security, cost and industrial opportunities."

UK chief scientific adviser, Sir Mark Walport, will head new research on grid technology, battery technology and energy storage. The use of electric cars to supply energy back into the grid is listed as an area of interest.

Additionally, the new strategy highlights the importance of balancing the UK's economy and lists the Government's £1.1 billion of funding for local roads and public transport networks as a key tool to equal out national investment.

The paper suggests taxes could be adjusted for the research and development sector as a whole to help stimulate investment in Britain in the face of Brexit. It adds "[The Government] will advise on how best to build on the excellence of UK research and innovation, maximising the opportunity of the UK’s exit from the European Union." Such changes could benefit the UK's automotive sector.