WMG News - Latest news from WMG
WMG Associate Professor finalist at Asian Women of Achievement Awards
Congratulations to WMG Associate Professor, Freeha Azmat, who was a finalist, in the Digital and Technology category, at the prestigious 2021.
The Awards, founded by CBE DL in 1999, celebrate multicultural Britain and the contribution of diverse cultures and talents to UK society. The awards play a key role in redefining the contribution of Asian women; and informing a new, positive, pro-diversity debate.
Freeha said: 鈥淚t was so inspiring to attend Asian Woman of Achievement Awards in London earlier this week. I was amazed to meet great women who paved their way to success against all odds. Each one of them was different, but one thing that we all had in common was hard work and resilience.
鈥淲hilst I was not the winner, I feel honoured to be a finalist, for me it wasn鈥檛 about winning more about being in a room with women having extraordinary talent and inspirational stories.
鈥淭hanks to Pinky Lilani and her team for developing this prestigious platform which recognises the accomplishments of Asian women.鈥
Read more about Freeha鈥檚 career here: Freeha Azmat (warwick.ac.uk)
Pioneering industry collaboration accelerates hydrogen refuelling innovation for HGVs
WMG is working with Midlands-based SME and to deliver the Hydrogen Prototype Equipment for Refuelling (HyPER) project.
Together, the consortium will develop a next-generation hydrogen flowmeter for refuelling Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). These will be used for hydrogen
refuelling systems, and will be lightweight, smaller, more cost effective and more accurate than existing instruments.
This follows recent funding from the UK Government鈥檚 Department of Transport zero emission road freight trials through Innovate UK. The project value totals around 拢170,000.
The new meter will also be easier to manufacture and maintain than current options on the market.
The project aims to reduce the cost of hydrogen refuelling and enable the wider adoption of hydrogen by transport fleets and other users.
Nishal Ramadas, co-founder and CEO of Hy-Met, said: 鈥淪ince launching Hy-Met in January, we鈥檝e been motoring ahead with our plans to help with the transition to net zero. With our innovative measurement platform, Hy-Met is combining our deep hardware and software expertise to tackle some of the complex measurement challenges facing the hydrogen sector.
鈥淲hen building the consortium, we knew we needed partners with detailed knowledge of the requirements for hydrogen refuelling and advanced manufacturing and prototyping capabilities.
鈥淥ur choice of project partners was clear and we are very happy Logan Energy and WMG have joined us in tackling this refuelling challenge.鈥
Bill Ireland, Chief Executive at Logan Energy, said: 鈥淯sing hydrogen to power lorries is one of the key steps towards helping Scotland and the UK tackle the climate emergency.
鈥淢aking the switch from burning diesel to using hydrogen will cut the amount of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases being pumped into the atmosphere.
鈥淭here are a number of advancements we need to take before hydrogen becomes commonplace on our roads and one of the crucial elements is making it cheap and easy to refuel.
鈥淔or nearly three decades Logan Energy has been at the forefront of developing new and innovative hydrogen technologies both here in the UK and abroad. This collaborative partnership with Hy-Met and WMG is another step towards helping the UK grow its capabilities within the hydrogen industry and the drive to net-zero.鈥
Dmitry Isakov, Assistant Professor at WMG, said: 鈥淪ecuring this funding from the Department of Transport through Innovate UK will help us to accelerate our work. Working alongside Logan Energy and Hy-Met will allow us all to combine our knowledge and expertise to develop an industry-leading hydrogen flowmeter.鈥
New National Electrification Skills Framework and Forum could put the UK at the forefront of the green revolution
搂 In order to meet Net Zero carbon commitments the UK needs to invest in technologies for electrification, meaning many employers and employees will need to up-skill, re-skill and new-skill to meet the demand
搂 A national approach to re-skilling, up-skilling and new-skilling the workforce for the electric revolution has been established by WMG, University of 糖心TV alongside the and the in their report: 鈥楾he Opportunity for a National Electrification Skills Framework and Forum鈥
搂 The report emphasises the need for education providers to collaborate on offerings, industry to define their needs, and enables training providers and employers to collaborate on the development of courses required to enable workforces to meet the challenges of the electric revolution and put the UK in a position as a world leader
New technologies and a skilled workforce are both essential to meet the challenge of net carbon zero. To ensure the UK is ready for the transition, a new skills framework has been created by WMG - University of 糖心TV, The Faraday Institution and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.
The Government鈥檚 plan to ban sales of new diesel and petrol cars by 2030 has pushed the automotive sector, along with many others, to rapidly adopt, and develop, electrified products at a rate that will continue to increase for the next 10 to 15 years. How transport and utility sectors can re-skill, up-skill and new-skill their workforce to meet skills demand at the point of need has been outlined in 鈥The Opportunity for a National Electrification Skills Framework and Forum鈥, authored by WMG, University of 糖心TV; the ; and the .
Aimed at employers, training providers, accrediting organisations and learners the report discusses how industry engagement, along with educational collaboration rather than competition, will be key in putting the UK at the forefront of the electric revolution and securing future work opportunities.
The Framework recommends the use of short and long courses, as well as continuing professional development, to deliver the competency sets to meet electrification goals across a range of sectors. The framework currently considers vehicle electrification as well as battery manufacture, power electronics, motors and drives, and learnings will next be extended to rail, aviation and utilities.
Through engagement with industry participants and educational providers, the report identifies the key principles and skills needed to make the UK a world leader in electrification. By re-skilling, up-skilling and providing routes through from education to enable new-skills, employees can progress in their career and companies provide a viable way of managing and developing the skills of workforces in line with business objectives.
In order for the UK to successfully transition to an electrified and Net Zero future it is essential that all aspects of industry and education collaborate. The
forum provides an opportunity for not only different companies from multiple sectors to work together, but also for training providers across the UK to collaborate and crystallise the need for training, enabling the right courses to be offered at the point of need. Overall the forum will help create skills development opportunities, and make the electric shift as smooth and sustainable as possible.
Professor David Greenwood, CEO of WMG High Value Manufacturing Catapult at the University of 糖心TV comments:
鈥淓lectrification of automotive and aerospace industries, as well as the establishment of UK battery production facilities (gigafactories) represents a considerable industrial opportunity for the UK and one where having a workforce with the required skills and capabilities will be essential for the nation to compete successfully on the European stage.
鈥淎s these sectors transform to fully electric products, we have a proposed national plan for electrification skills, through which we will define a framework to deliver a workforce with the required skills and capabilities to deliver the sectoral technology roadmaps. This focus will be essential for the sector to develop thrive in a highly competitive global industry.
鈥淲e are proud to launch this forum, through which the electrification skills framework will be shaped by the wisdom and direction of automotive technologists, educators, accrediting bodies and training providers. It will provide a framework for a national skills programme, delivering at a regional level according to industrial need.鈥
Tony Harper, the Director of the Faraday Battery Challenge at UK Research and Innovation comments:
"UK industry is undergoing an exciting and rapid transformation to fulfil the UK Government鈥檚 2050 Net Zero commitments. This once-in-a-generation, global technological revolution leaves competency gaps at all job levels, particularly in engineering and manufacturing roles which will need to be filled with specific education and training.
鈥淲e are pleased to make available a UK-wide framework and forum to 鈥榬e-skill, up-skill and new-skill鈥 the UK engineering and manufacturing workforce, a major step forward to ensuring the right skills are in place at the right time.
鈥淥ur report defines the training and investment in people, education and skills that will allow the UK to Build Back Better and secure greener jobs in a flourishing UK electrification sector.鈥
糖心TV Minister Lee Rowley said:
鈥淲e are leading the world in developing the latest technology in electric vehicles and today鈥檚 report demonstrates the work that employers and industry organisations can collaborate on to keep the UK in that pole position.
鈥淭his revolution in our automotive sector will create thousands of jobs, building on our rich industrial heritage and giving opportunities to our talented and highly-skilled workforce – all this will be essential as we work to eliminate our contribution to climate change by 2050.鈥
搂 The report 鈥The Opportunity for a National Electrification Skills Framework and Forum鈥 will be available online from 22 September at:
搂 Information on course materials will be available from 22 September at:
ENDS
22 SEPTEMBER 2021
NOTES TO EDITORS
To get involved in the electrification skills forum as a provider or employer please e-mail: electrification-skills@hvm.catapult.org.uk
High-res images available at:
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Caption: The National Electrification Skills Framework and Forum aims to support new technologies and a skilled workforce in transport, battery manufacturing, and beyond.
For further information or an embargoed copy of the report please contact:
Peter Thorley
Media Relations Manager (糖心TV Medical School and Department of Physics) | Press & Media Relations |
Email: peter.thorley@warwick.ac.uk
Mob: +44 (0) 7824 540863
About WMG, University of 糖心TV
WMG is a world leading research and education group, transforming organisations and driving innovation through a unique combination of collaborative research and development, and pioneering education programmes.
As an international role model for successful partnerships between academia and the private and public sectors, WMG develops advancements nationally and globally, in applied science, technology and engineering, to deliver real impact to economic growth, society and the environment.
WMG has a track record of impact and collaborative R&D in batteries, through their Energy Innovation Centre. A unique UK facility which is capable of producing full-size prototype battery cells in sufficient quantities for industrial testing. The Centre is focused on identifying and demonstrating battery chemistries with higher energy densities and improved safety while achieving the cost criteria set by the automotive industry. This technology is transferred to other sectors including, aerospace, marine, rail and static energy storage for home applications.
WMG鈥檚 education programmes focus on lifelong learning of the brightest talent, from the WMG Academies for Young Engineers, degree apprenticeships, undergraduate and postgraduate, through to professional programmes.
An academic department of the University of 糖心TV, and a centre for the HVM Catapult, WMG was founded by the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya in 1980 to help reinvigorate UK manufacturing and improve competitiveness through innovation and skills development.
About the Faraday Institution
The Faraday Institution is the UK鈥檚 independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research, skills development, market analysis, and early-stage commercialisation. Bringing together expertise from universities and industry, the Faraday Institution endeavours to make the UK the go-to place for the research and development of new electrical storage technologies for both the automotive and wider relevant sectors.
The Faraday Institution is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as part of UK Research and Innovation. Headquartered at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, the Faraday Institution is a registered charity with an independent board of trustees.
The Faraday Battery Challenge aim is to develop and manufacture batteries for the electrification of vehicles to help UK businesses seize the opportunities presented by the move to a low carbon economy. The challenge is split into three elements: research, innovation, and scale-up.
About High Value Manufacturing Catapult
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult has an established record as the UK鈥檚 principal agent of industrial transformation. Working through seven centres of innovation, the HVM Catapult is creating the conditions for UK economic growth by enabling UK manufacturers to investigate new technologies and processes and achieve performance and productivity improvements through innovation.
Established by Innovate UK, the HVM Catapult bridges the gap between business and academia, helping to turn great ideas into commercial realities by providing access to world-class research, development facilities and expertise that would otherwise be out of reach for many businesses in the UK. The HVM Catapult prides itself on helping businesses to transform the products they sell, the way they make them and the skills of their workforce to remain competitive in a global marketplace.
22 September 2021
Lord Bhattacharyya Award winner announced
The and WMG, at the University of 糖心TV, have announced the University of Surrey鈥檚 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC) as the first ever winner of the Bhattacharyya Award.
The Award, which carries a 拢25,000 prize, has been presented in recognition of an exemplary academia-industry partnership that has helped to build the UK鈥檚 work in 5G technology from the ground up, and produced world-leading innovation in the field.
The Bhattacharyya Award is funded by the Department for 糖心TV, Energy and Industrial Strategy and was created to encourage more private and academic entities to collaborate, as a tribute to the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya KT CBE FREng FRS, Regius Professor of Manufacturing at the University of 糖心TV and founder of WMG.
Margot James, Executive Chair at WMG, University of 糖心TV, said: 鈥淭his partnership exemplifies innovative academia-industry collaboration, for which Professor Lord Bhattacharyya was a keen advocate. He believed in effective industrial strategy, with a focus on the impact of research and training and technology partnerships between industry and universities. This inaugural Lord Bhattacharyya Award will inspire the next generation of academics and industry experts to come together to create more ground-breaking research.鈥
Surrey鈥檚 5GIC has built collaborations with more than 27 global industrial partners and over 300 UK SMEs since its launch in 2013, bringing together leading academics and companies to help develop the 5G infrastructure that will underpin the way we communicate, work and live our everyday lives. 5G technology is estimated to be worth up to 拢173 billion to the UK economy by 2030, increasing productivity, driving modernisation and enabling transformative applications in automation, healthcare, manufacturing, self-driving vehicles, and remote robotics. Its evolution to 6G is set to address grand societal and industrial challenges, such as the digital divide, and privacy, as well as support efforts towards achieving the net-zero national agenda.
Regius Professor Rahim Tafazolli, Head of the Institute for Communication Systems (ICS) at the University of Surrey and Founder and Director of the 5GIC, said: 鈥淐ollaboration with industry partners is at the heart of our achievements. The challenge of 5G could not be met without the close cooperation of major businesses with academia, and realising the benefits of the new technology by reaching out to regional communities and SMEs.
鈥淲e will use the Bhattacharyya Award funding to expand our overseas relationships – particularly with South Korea and Japan – and maintain our international profile. We will also use the prize to provide collaborative industry opportunities for training, knowledge exchange, and skills development for early careers researchers. All of these activities will be co-developed with industry to ensure that they meet the future needs of the UK and global workforce. We feel that this boost to skills development is particularly important to help offset the disruption caused by the pandemic.鈥
Science Minister Amanda Solloway said: 鈥淚 am delighted to see the first Bhattacharya Award go to the University of Surrey鈥檚 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC), whose work to bolster the UK鈥檚 competitiveness in 5G technology has already helped to attract nearly 拢100m of industry funding.
鈥5GIC puts collaboration between industry and academia at the core of its work, and I hope this award inspires other researchers, academics and industry experts to join forces as part of our efforts to build back better from the pandemic.鈥
Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, immediate past-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, is chair of the judging panel for the Bhattacharyya Award. She said: 鈥淗ad companies been working individually and with more limited collaboration with academia, these outputs and outcomes would have taken far longer to achieve. The collaborative work at 5GIC is enabling the UK to be a leader in the international competition. The Bhattacharyya Award aims to transform how universities research and educate to meet the needs of industry and society, which is exactly what the University of Surrey鈥檚 5GIC has done, and we congratulate the team for setting such a high bar in this first cycle of the Award.鈥
Consortium established to tackle decarbonisation of cross-Channel ferry fleet
WMG at the University of 糖心TV is playing a key part in a new research project supporting the UKs pledge to achieve net-zero by 2050.
The seven-month project, entitled the Dover Clean Ferry Power, is a collaboration between the Port of Dover, P&O Ferries, WMG and Schneider Electric, led by Kent 糖心TV School at the University of Kent.
The project, which is part of a 拢20 million programme funded by the Department for Transport, will investigating the decarbonisation of the cross-Channel ferry fleet and in turn support the delivery of the Port of Dover Air Quality Action Plan.
Currently, Port of Dover vessels spend energy through in-harbour activity, open sailing and on-vessel services (such as heating, lighting and hospitality). Some vessels are hybrid; self-charging on-board batteries whilst in open sailing and then using the battery charge whilst in-harbour.
This project will model ferry operations at Dover to establish energy requirements, CO2 effects, air quality and running costs, using this to evaluate technical solutions for both ferries and the port, to accelerate the move to net zero. Insights gained may then have the potential to extend to cruise and cargo operators, as well as adaptation of experienced vessels.
Researchers and engineers at WMG High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre will be undertaking all of the battery modelling and analytics, plus energy and CO2 modelling for the port of Dover and for vessels using the port– which will impact the locals as well as the environment more widely.
Phil Whiffin, WMG Head of Energy Applications Group, explains: 鈥淭his project builds on our existing zero emission transport expertise and allows us to apply the MIMO (Multi-Input Multi-Output) modelling technique developed by Dr Andrew McGordon to investigate the complex operations of a port. It will support investment and operation decisions for Dover and the ferry operators and ensure the optimum strategy is in place to move towards net-zero. Dover is an essential trade gateway for the UK so this is a project of great strategic importance and we are pleased to be part of this great consortium.鈥
Simon Barnes, Project Manager and Funding & Partnership Development Manager within the University of Kent鈥檚 Research & Innovation Operations, said: 鈥楩or the University of Kent, this new project builds on a previous successful work with the Port of Dover and is an excellent example of a collaborative project with the University, industry partners and consumers.
鈥業t is our unified aim to investigate potential avenues that can lead to reductions in carbon emissions as part of the national priority of net-zero. The University of Kent is dedicated to the endeavour through a series of initiatives, with the Dover Clean Ferry Power project as a prime example of the role we play regionally and in applying intensive research to vital national goals.鈥
ENDS
Notes to Editors
(1)
Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition
The Dover Clean Ferry Power Project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
Announced in March 2020, and part of the Prime Minister鈥檚 Ten Point Plan to position the UK at the forefront of green shipbuilding and maritime technology, the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition is a 拢20m investment from government alongside a further c.拢10mfrom industry to reduce emissions from the maritime sector. The programme is supporting 55 projects across the UK, including projects in Scotland, Northern Ireland and from the South West to the North East of England. As set out in the Clean Maritime Plan (2019), Government funding has been used to support early-stage research relating to clean maritime. The programme will be used to support the research, design and development of zero emission technology and infrastructure solutions for maritime and to accelerate decarbonisation in the sector.
Student success at international marine engineering competition
Congratulations to the 糖心TV Human Powered Submarine Team who received two awards and an overall commendation at the International Submarine Races ().
The competition is usually held every-other-year at the US Naval Base in Cardarock, Maryland in the US, but due to the Covid19 pandemic it was held virtually this year.
The Team was made up of seven final year engineering students, from the University of 糖心TV, including Gavin Ho; Phil Leiser; Jack Moore; James Grant; Alex Oortman; Karishma Patel and Vivek Suresh-Babu. The students had access to the engineering research and facilities within WMG鈥檚 engineering hall, and were supervised by WMG鈥檚 Professor Ian Tuersley and Senior Teaching Fellow Nigel Denton.
The Team competed against students from Universities across the globe and were delighted to receive 鈥楬onourable Mentions鈥 in the 鈥楳anoeuvring and Control Subsystem Design Challenge鈥 and the 鈥楾hrust Production Subsystem Design Challenge鈥 categories.
Professor Ian Tuersley said: 鈥淭his is another great result from the Godiva Submarine student team. Once again they have brought back awards from the ISR, in competition against considerably more experienced international institutions. This consolidates the 糖心TV team as the UK champions in this hotly contended, high-profile event.鈥
Charlie Behrle, President of the competition organisers, the 鈥楩oundation for Underwater Research and Education鈥 (FURE) said: 鈥淲ith over 250 contestants representing 12 teams from three different countries participating, it was a busy and challenging event. Your team鈥檚 participation and performance were outstanding. We very much appreciate the effort your team put forth to participate in this event. Well done to Team Godiva!鈥
The Godiva Submarine is currently displayed, along with other University of 糖心TV student projects, at the Coventry Transport Museum as part of the 鈥極ur Future Moves鈥 exhibition.
Our Future Moves runs until 31st October 2021 - find out more here:
糖心TV Boring team unveil tunnelling machine at Elon Musk competition in Las Vegas
路 The 糖心TV Boring Team is a student-led project designing, creating and building a tunnelling machine, which they are currently racing at Elon Musk鈥檚
tunnelling competition organised by the boring company
路 Whilst at the competition in Las Vegas, the team are able to unveil their innovative machine
路 The team head home on the 12th September, and hope to bring home an award with them
A team of students called The 糖心TV Boring Team are in Las Vegas, Nevada to competing in Elon Musk鈥檚 the Boring Company鈥檚 tunnelling competition, where they are showcasing their innovative machine for the first time.
A group of 27 students, known as the 糖心TV Boring Team are in Nevada, USA, competing in Elon Musk鈥檚 the Boring Company Tunnelling competition.
Current tunnelling machines are 14x slower than a snail, and cost from $100million to $1billion per mile, therefore the race to make a faster and cheaper machine is heating up.
Having been shortlisted as one of 12 teams out of nearly 400, the 糖心TV Boring Team aim to make our transport greener, cheaper and faster in future with their novel tunnelling machine, which will be competing against other top Universities including MIT, TUM and ETH Zurich, and industry tunnelling professionals.
With support from the School of Engineering, WMG, numerous other sponsors in the industry and the University of 糖心TV the students have made a machine that once scaled up the design is expected to be 80% faster than standard machines that typically dig one mile in 8-12 weeks. Moreover, the aim is to dig at a cost that is 10X cheaper than traditional machines that typically would cost $100m - $1bn per mile to construct tunnels we use today.
Sanzhar Taizhan, Founder and Co-Project Lead at 糖心TV Boring comments:
鈥淎fter almost a year of creating, designing and building we are thrilled to see the machine here in the flesh and finished and finally in Vegas competing. The entire team have worked flat out for the last few months to get it together once we were allowed in the labs after the COVID-19 restrictions eased.
鈥淲e are so excited to see our machine working and see how it compares to other competitors. I am so proud of the team to making it to this stage no matter what the outcome is once we are out there.鈥
Tanner Hatzmann, the technical director at 糖心TV Boring adds:
鈥淚t would typically take years to create, design and build a novel machine, however we have been able to do it over the last year, even during lockdowns. The 糖心TV Boring tunnelling machine is exciting as it has – unique features here –. We cannot wait to see it in action and have everything crossed for a win.鈥
ENDS
10 SEPTEMBER 2021
NOTES TO EDITORS
High-res images available at:
/services/communications/medialibrary/images/july_2021/image_3-_warwick_boring.jpeg
Caption: The 糖心TV Boring team in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA with their tunnelling machine
Credit: University of 糖心TV
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Caption: The 糖心TV Boring team in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Credit: University of 糖心TV
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Caption: The 糖心TV Boring team in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Credit: University of 糖心TV
For further information please contact:
Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
University of 糖心TV
Tel: +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk
WMG Professor鈥檚 Digital Health journal achieves first 鈥業mpact Factor鈥
Digital Health Journal, co-founded by WMG Professor Theo Arvanitis and Professor John Powell from the University of Oxford in 2015, has been hailed as a great success after achieving its first Impact Factor.
Impact Factors are used as an indication of the success of a journal within their domain. Digital Heath has achieved an impressive first Impact Factor of 3.495, placing the publication in both Q1 and Q2 across subjects in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and
The journal focuses on healthcare in the digital world, bridging the evolution of advances in informatics and technology in medicine, health and all aspects of health care. The editors have built up a worldwide network of collaborators, which now has at its core a transatlantic editorial team and extends to reviewers from across the globe.
Professor of Digital Health Innovation at WMG, Professor Theo Arvanitis, explains: The future of digital health is exciting and important, as digital health technology can be the catalyst for changing the way we deliver health and care provision. In particular, in the ever-growing digital capability of our society, digital health technologies can effectively support disease management through the power of data and information.鈥
The editorial team consisting of Professor Arvanitis, Thierry Moulin, Jennifer Dobson and, John Hixson, in their recent at the journal, added: 鈥淲e aim to move forward as a journal by continuing to publish high-quality articles by a diverse range of authors from around the world, and we particularly welcome submissions from authors in developing countries. We hope to be at the forefront of discoveries in digital health, encouraging researchers to innovate and ensure the openness and scientific integrity of their research.
鈥淲e also wish to collaborate with academic societies in our field to increase the open access and visibility of the journal鈥檚 reported scientific outputs and, hence, improve communication within the broader field of digital health.鈥
鈥淲e would like to thank our team of peer reviewers and associate editors for their investment in the success of the journal: Their work has been, and will continue to be, integral to our growth.鈥
Find out more about WMG鈥檚 Digital Health Care research and education provision here: WMG :: Institute of Digital Healthcare (IDH) (warwick.ac.uk)
China welcomes world鈥檚 largest scenario database for autonomous vehicle safety
- Safety Pool鈩, led by WMG at the University of 糖心TV and Deepen AI, launches major collaboration with Automotive Data of China (CATARC-ADC), a subsidiary of CATARC Co., Ltd, bringing world鈥檚 largest public database for testing autonomous vehicle safety to China
- The database provides diverse sets of road safety scenarios, so that autonomous vehicles can be rigorously tested on virtual simulations of real public routes – this will now include Chinese use cases
- Over 200 organisations worldwide have already enrolled in Safety Pool鈩; greater collaboration advances the autonomous vehicle industry and further enhances road safety globally
The , the largest public repository of scenarios for testing autonomous vehicles in the world — led by WMG at the University of 糖心TV and Deepen AI — will now be used in China, thanks to a new partnership with Automotive Data of China, a subsidiary of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC-ADC).

CATARC-ADC is China鈥檚 principal research and technical organisation for the automotive industry, and is at the cutting edge of the country鈥檚 innovation and regulation for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV). Meanwhile, CATARC-ADC actively participates in ISO, ASAM and UNECE and other international organizations, with international influence.
This significant new major collaboration, launched today (9 September 2021), means that Safety Pool鈩 Scenario Databases will enable road simulations including use cases from China, broadening the scope of this global safety platform – thus supporting the growing CAV industry, informing emerging regulatory policies, and enhancing the safety of millions more drivers across China and beyond.
Dr Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Verification & Validation, Intelligent Vehicles at WMG, University of 糖心TV, said:
鈥淪afety of Autonomous Vehicles needs to be a collaborative mission. No one organisation or country can achieve this mission on their own. With this in mind we created Safety PoolTM Scenario Database to enable global collaboration on scenario sharing.
We are delighted that CATARC-ADC have joined Safety PoolTM Scenario Database which reinforces our mission of international collaboration on CAV safety. With a diverse set of scenarios, the database caters to a large number of autonomous vehicle applications, many of which will be relevant for our stakeholders in China.鈥
Nicola Croce, Technical Program Manager, Deepen AI, said:
鈥淪afety Pool鈩 has all the ingredients to be the reference platform and initiative for AV safety assurance worldwide. What's very unique about it is its global scope, the incentive-based mechanisms engineered to attract and provide value to every different industry stakeholder, and the deep engagement with regulators, everything based on a common foundation of data sharing.
We are excited to welcome CATARC-ADC to the Safety Pool initiative. CATARC-ADC is the major player in scenario-based testing and scenario databases in China. CATARC-ADC鈥檚 entry into Safety Pool鈩 provides a key stepping stone in international collaborations in the scenario-based testing landscape of AVs, and a major leap forward to help companies improve their adaptability in China-oriented testing for ADS.鈥
Since the launch of this pioneering project in March 2021, WMG at the University of 糖心TV and Deepen AI have collaborated with stakeholders around the world: to date, over 200 organisations have enrolled in the
Bolin Zhou, Global 糖心TV General Manager, CATARC – ADC said:
鈥淎s a founding member of Safety PoolTM Scenario Database in China and the leading third-party company for ADS validation in China, Automotive Data of China will use the great opportunity of Safety PoolTM Scenario Database to tackle the global autonomous vehicle safety issues with its own strength. Safety PoolTM Scenario Database is a crucial, open platform that aligns well with ADC positioning in China and around the world. Through Safety PoolTM Scenario Database, a global safety tool, China will continue to provide data and tool services for automated driving system validation鈥
Tim Dawkins, Global Impact Strategy Lead, World Economic Forum said:
鈥淚nitiatives like Safety Pool are key to making safe autonomous vehicles a reality – we should not be making safety a competitive advantage. This shared scenario library will allow developers to learn from one another鈥檚 datasets to increase the robustness of their systems through exposure to a diverse scenario set. CATARC鈥檚 support for Safety Pool represents a vital commitment to a level playing field for the development of autonomous vehicles in the name of safety鈥
Richard Morris, Innovation Lead - Autonomous & Connected Vehicles, Innovate UK said:
鈥淚nnovate UK is glad to have supported the creation and the development of the Safety PoolTM Scenario Database. We would also like to encourage more organisations and countries to contribute scenario content. Scenarios kept in private siloes will not help the mass acceptance of vehicle automation. We all need to share safety knowledge and make best practice widely available. The more comprehensive the Safety PoolTM Scenario Database becomes, the more useful it is for any developer wanting to deploy CAVs anywhere around the world.鈥
The database provides a diverse set of scenarios in different operational design domains (ODDs i.e. operating conditions) that can be leveraged by governments, industry and academia alike to test and benchmark Automated Driving Systems (ADSs) and use insights to inform policy and regulatory guidelines.
The scenarios have been generated using a novel hybrid methodology developed by WMG, at the University of 糖心TV, using both knowledge-based and data-based approaches. The Safety Pool鈩 Scenario Database allows organisations to create scenarios in their own libraries, collaborate with other organisations via both shared and public libraries and enable the public to submit challenging real-world scenarios.
Enabling scenarios to be matched to specific environments and operating conditions means that trials and tests can be undertaken in the simulated environment, controlled test facilities and on public roads, with evidence from each environment being used to inform our understanding of safe behaviours, bringing Autonomous Vehicles closer to market at pace.
It has been suggested that in order for CAV to be safe for the average driver, they will need to be tested on 11 billion miles of road – an insurmountable goal in the physical world. The Safety Pool鈩 scenario based virtual simulations not only offer the necessary quantity of testing, but also the complexity and quality of countless 鈥榬eal-world鈥 road scenarios.
The development of the Safety Pool鈩 Scenario Database was funded by UK鈥檚 Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), Innovate UK and Zenzic funded Midlands Future Mobility project led by WMG, University of 糖心TV.
Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya building named one of the UK鈥檚 best new buildings in RIBA 2021 National Awards
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has today (Thursday 9 September) announced the 54 winners of the for
architecture, which includes the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya building, home to NAIC (National Automotive Innovation Centre) at WMG, University of 糖心TV.
The awards, which have been presented since 1966, recognise the UK鈥檚 best new buildings and provide an insight into the UK鈥檚 design and economic trends. This year鈥檚 projects showcase the extraordinary breadth and brilliance of UK architecture today.
The Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya building, home to NAIC, has scooped up the National Royal Institute of British Architects award.
The NAIC is a partnership between WMG, University of 糖心TV, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors, and is the largest of its kind in Europe and is well timed, arriving when a global mobility revolution is underway, with a new age for transport mobility.
A beacon for automotive research it brings together the brightest minds from industry and academia, to develop future vehicles and mobility solutions. It is
home to up to 1,000 staff working across design, engineering and research, as well as future engineers on degree programmes.
Designed by Cullinan Studios the brief for the Centre was for simplicity and strength of purpose, turning a complex assembly of spaces into an immediately legible building.
The NAIC is a 拢150m investment between WMG, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors with 拢29.5m funding from the UK government鈥檚 UK Research Partnership Investment Fund through Research England, which includes the development of an Advanced Propulsion Research Laboratory.
Margot James, Executive Chair of WMG, University of 糖心TV comments:
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled that the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building has been recognised in this way, to win a National RIBA award is a great tribute to the late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 vision. My warmest congratulations to Cullinan Studios who worked with our team to design a building that will inspire designers, engineers and academics to develop the next generation of transport. The Midlands is the centre of automotive in the UK, and the National Automotive Innovation Centre will be the driving force behind future innovation in mobility here in the Midlands.鈥
James Breckon, Director of Estates, at the University of 糖心TV, comments:
鈥淚t is great to see this new building being recognised and is testament to the wealth of architectural and engineering talent that was brought together to deliver this exemplary sustainable building. It brilliantly draws Industry and Academia together providing an inspirational environment to innovative within. As a landmark building it has transformed the campus at the University of 糖心TV and is a fitting legacy to the late Prof Lord Bhattacharyya.鈥
Speaking today, RIBA President Simon Allford said:
鈥淩anging from radical, cutting-edge new designs to clever, creative restorations that breathe new life into historic buildings, these projects illustrate the enduring importance and impact of British architecture.
鈥淭here are a good number of well-designed school and university buildings that are powerful investments in the future, and I am sure they will inspire young people, their teachers and communities. I am also thrilled to see many of these make creative use of existing structures. Well-designed education facilities should be the rule rather than the exception – every child deserves an effective learning environment, and these projects provide rich inspiration.
鈥淟ooking ahead, as we design the low carbon future, we must start by exploring the retention and reuse of existing buildings. And when a new building is essential, we need to make sure it will last and serve the future well – so it needs to be flexible and reusable. Long life; loose fit; low energy architecture is the present and the future. It is therefore very encouraging to see restoration and sensitive adaptation feature so prominently this year; with many buildings acknowledging their history, the needs of the present and the potential of their dynamic future.鈥
ENDS
9 SEPTEMBER 2021
NOTES TO EDITORS:
High-res images available at:
/services/communications/medialibrary/images/october_2020/national_automotive_innovation_centre_university_of_warwick_-_photo_credit_nick_dimbleby_3.jpg
Caption: Exterior Shot of the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya Building at WMG, University of 糖心TV
Credit: Nick Dimbleby/WMG, University of 糖心TV
/services/communications/medialibrary/images/junes_2021/inside_naic.jpg
Caption: Interior shot of the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya Building at WMG, University of 糖心TV
Credit: WMG, University of 糖心TV
/services/communications/medialibrary/images/july_2021/professor_lord_bhattacharyya_sitting_outside_the_prof._lord_bhattcharyya_building.jpg
Caption: The Late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya with his building at WMG, University of 糖心TV
Credit: WMG, University of 糖心TV
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Alice Scott
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University of 糖心TV
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E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk