Horiba MIRA is readying itself for the road ahead when
facilities will be needed for the development of driverless cars.
The UK is ideally
positioned to lead the development of driverless cars, according to George
Gillespie, Horba MIRA chief executive.
“In the world of personal
mobility, change is in the air, or more precisely on the road. Not since the
internal combustion engine got us off our horses at the end of the 19th century
has the future of transport looked so different and the market opportunity so
dynamic,” he said.
And, as part of its investment in
the future, Horiba MIRA has just finished resurfacing Bend No. 3 and Straight No.1
of its High Speed Circuit. Work was completed on Wednesday, 17 August, over two weeks ahead of schedule. This has been no mean feat, with bends
on the circuit banking up to 33 degrees. The High Speed Circuit is an intrinsic part of the entire MIRA Proving Ground which is likely to play a
key role in the development of driverless vehicles.
Gillespie’s bold statement
regarding the UK’s role in driverless car technology, captures the present “mood
of excitement within the automotive industry”.
As a pioneering global
provider of engineering, research and test services to the sector, Gillespie
believes Horiba MIRA is in the vanguard of developments.
In Gillespie’s analysis, two
global megatrends lie behind the way the human relationship with the car is
evolving and the industry along with it.
Megatrends
point the way
The first global megatrend has been ongoing for the last 25
years and revolves around continued efforts to reduce noxious gas emissions and
carbon fuel consumption. This entails efficiency and environmental improvements
to petrol and diesel engines, accompanied by increasing electrification, moving
towards hybrids, battery-powered vehicles and alternative fuels.
Activity in this area has
intensified of late, though, in response to the fallout from the so-called
“dieselgate” scandal, involving misreporting of engine and emissions data by
Volkswagen and other vehicle manufacturers. As a result, there has been a
renewed focus from the regulatory authorities on emissions and fuel-economy
performance and testing.
For the UK, this represents
an important potential growth area, with the Automotive Council UK and
government having identified the low-carbon powertrain – engines and
transmissions – as a key differentiator going forward.
The second big megatrend is
really about the car becoming a feature of a connected lifestyle and part of
the internet of things – almost like a smartphone on wheels.
“In fact, the car is actually
arriving pretty late to the party, with the automotive industry one of the last
big markets to finally feel the force of the digital revolution. However,
change is coming now and coming very quickly, says Gillespie.
A lot of work at present is
around technologies for vehicles that are increasingly intelligent – fitted
with sensors such as cameras and radar – so they are increasingly aware of
their surroundings and can take decisions on behalf of the driver on what to
do, as well as optimise safety and efficiency. In addition, the cars are
connected and it is this internet connectivity that enables them to become part
of a 21st-century citizen’s extended digital life.
“What the UK is looking to do is position itself as the leading
location in Europe to test and deploy these technologies”
Ultimately, the advances in
connected and intelligent technologies lead us in the direction of autonomous
vehicles or driverless cars as they are known. For the UK, these represent a
major market opportunity and focus for investment.
According to figures from the
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the overall economic and social
benefit of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) could be in the region of
£51 billion a year by 2030. CAVs carry the potential to create an additional
320,000 jobs in the UK, and save more than 2,500 lives and prevent over 25,000
serious accidents.
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