A new £92 million National Automotive Innovation Campus will be opened at the University of Warwick to help develop new solutions to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and cut harmful vehicle emissions.
Part-funded by the Government's UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF), Chancellor George Osborne recently announced a further funding into the new centre.
In total, government investment along with funding from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Tata Motors European Technical (TMETC) comes to £92 million, yet it is forecasted that there will be a 10 times return on the funds through the development of new and improved products, processes and services.
Working closely with the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), TMETC and JLR also plan to use the new centre to address the shortage of skilled R&D staff in the automotive supply chain, aligning with the new WMG Academy which provides vocational training to 14–19 year olds seeking a career in engineering and technology sectors.
WMG Chairman and Founder Professor Lord Bhattacharyya said: “The automotive industry in the UK has seen a recent resurgence, but for the UK to remain internationally competitive we must create urgently a critical mass in research excellence.
“Our vision is to create the National Automotive Innovation Campus where we link people, research and world-leading infrastructure to create and develop novel technologies. NAIC will be an ‘engine’ for economic growth, with wide economic benefit, and sustained growth from the creation of world-leading technologies. It will enable academic and industry teams to work together in state of the art buildings, with tailored equipment and digital solutions to create and integrate breakthrough technologies with a whole system approach crossing multiple disciplines.”
Faye has been writing about cars and environmental issues since 2007. A suspected eco-warrior working on the corporate inside, Faye mainly likes the weird, quirky vehicles that show a distinct environmental advantage. Her ideal car has enough room to fit a bale of hay in the boot. When not working, she likes nothing better than to head out on her bicycle and explore the countryside.
Faye Sunderland
October 22, 2012
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