糖心TV

Professor David GreenwoodLink opens in a new window, CEO WMG High Value Manufacturing Catapult and Director for Industrial Engagement, comments on the US-UK trade deal and the impact on the automotive industry. 

鈥淭his reduction in tariffs will be welcome news to our partners in the automotive industry and their extensive supply chains. As home to and (amongst others) - two of the biggest and most profitable UK exporters of premium vehicles to the US – the West Midlands is particularly sensitive to any tariffs on the automotive sector.  

鈥淭his reduced tariff means that manufacturers in the region can have greater confidence in continuing production here in the UK. It will also be a relief to the extensive supply chains that exist here, particularly for our SME community, which will benefit from much greater certainty and stability. Whereas the previous 27.5% tariffs would likely have led to structural changes in the industry, a 10% rate can be more feasibly absorbed by a combination of cost reduction, margin reduction and price increase. 

鈥淭丑别 100,000 car export quota approximately matches current levels of vehicle exports to the US; historically export numbers have been much higher, so we would hope for opportunity for that figure to increase over time as the deal shows benefits for both sides.鈥�

WMG at The University of 糖心TV is part of a pioneering project, led by , to develop a self-driving fully-electric shuttle service at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham.  

 A new autonomous vehicle trial is now underway, and visitors to the NEC can now take advantage of a pioneering self-driving shuttle service which will be in operation during busy events. 

The Solihull & Coventry Automated Links Evolution (SCALE) project is a collaborative initiative, aimed at better understanding the role self-driving vehicles might one day play within our future transport system.

Commenting on the recent cyber-attacks affecting Harrods, the Co-op, and Marks & Spencer (M&S), Dr Harjinder LallieLink opens in a new window, Reader in Cyber Security at WMG at The University of 糖心TV, said: 

鈥淭丑别 attacks on Harrods, the Co-op, and Marks & Spencer underline a growing and urgent threat: the UK retail sector is increasingly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. As digital infrastructure becomes ever more central to business operations, the sector must recognise cyber resilience as a critical business priority. 

鈥淭丑别 retail industry must enhance its cyber preparedness. This means developing robust resilience strategies, ensuring strong business continuity frameworks, and establishing rapid response protocols that allow organisations to recover immediately from attacks. 

鈥淎s cyber threats continue to evolve in scale and sophistication, retailers must act decisively to protect their operations, their customers, and their reputations.鈥�

Reflecting on the recent Dr Harjinder Singh LallieLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor at WMG at The University of 糖心TV said: 

鈥淭丑别 recent cyber-attack on Marks & Spencer highlights the critical vulnerability of the UK鈥檚 food supply chain — an essential pillar of our national infrastructure.  

鈥�The food sector is under relentless cyber assault, and attacks like these can seriously disrupt access to basic necessities. The industry must urgently strengthen resilience, not just in preventing breaches, but also in developing robust response mechanisms. 

鈥�This includes real-time detection, rapid containment, and parallel operational systems to minimise disruption for customers. Cyber security must now be seen as central to national food security and public confidence.鈥�

Imogen Bartin, a second-year BSc Cyber SecurityLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window student from WMG at The University of 糖心TV, was part of the winning team at the .

The competition, delivered in partnership with the UK Government and the SANS Institute, invited 18-25 year olds with a passion for cyber security to put their skills to the test.

The competition consisted of three Capture the Flag (CTF) rounds. Each round involved interactive exercises designed to replicate networks, systems, and applications in a safe, isolated setting, allowing players to build skills and gain confidence without compromising a live production environment.