Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility: Mass Transit 2

Fund details

Your proposal must identify applications and quantify the real-life potential of Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) as a commercially viable mass transit solution.

Your project must:

• identify a new application for CAM as a mass transit solution and quantify the real-life potential of a suitable low carbon solution which is more cost effective than traditional public transport options
• focus on passenger services, including applications where the CAM service will be utilised for logistics services in addition to the passenger services provided, the main purpose of the service is to move people
• align with the nine principles of the Future of Mobility Urban Strategy where appropriate
• address the key issues raised in the Future of Transport: Rural Strategy – Call for Evidence and the associated Summary of Responses, where appropriate
• consider how your passenger service could be improved or expanded in the future, for example, as technology develops, and legislation enables the use of automated vehicles on public roads
• enhance how the public move and encourage active transport and public journeys, wherever appropriate

As part of your project you will be required to submit:

• an interim report by 1 May 2024
• a final report by 31 October 2024

Your passenger service can be operated on:

• public spaces to which the public have access
• private or segregated spaces to which the public do not have access, for example tracks and disused railway routes
• a combination of the above

Your proposal must:

• outline the design, delivery and operational cases for the introduction of a CAM mass transit service on a specific UK route currently underserved by public transport
• show how the solution would solve real-life transport problems, particularly where traditional mass transit services are not deemed viable
• include how it could be practically delivered and operated as part of a wider integrated public transport network
• set out how and why the proposed automated vehicle service would provide better outcomes than traditional mass transit modes.

Specific themes

Your project must focus on all of the following:

• economic, social, and decarbonisation benefits, considering the Green Book
• capital expenditure and operational expenditure
• infrastructure and service delivery plan and timelines
• commercial viability and revenue protection
• passenger capacity, freight capacity (if relevant) and scalability of service
• encouraging the use of public transport
• integration into existing public transport networks, including active travel, with consideration of connected infrastructure, on demand and Mobility as a Service technologies
• connecting underserved routes, locations, or populations to employment centres, education opportunities and larger population centres
• ensuring safety and security, including cyber security
• use of UK-based automation and infrastructure technologies and expertise
• ensuring public trust in the service
• ensuring accessibility and inclusivity of the service

Innovate UK are not funding projects that:

• are industrial research or experimental development projects
• propose the use of automated vehicle technology on rail vehicles
• include aircraft or waterborne craft

Eligibility

Your project must:

• have total costs/a grant funding request between £50,000 and £200,000
• start by 1 December 2023
• end by 31 October 2024
• last between 5 and 11 months
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• work with Department for Transport (DfT) and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) to ensure compatibility with regulatory requirements

For feasibility studies, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium-sized organisation
• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

The research organisations undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 50% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity, this maximum is shared between them. Of that 50% you could get funding for your eligible project costs of up to:

• 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are a Je-S registered institution such as an academic
• 100% of your project costs if you are an RTO, charity, not-for-profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation

Talk to us today if you would like to apply for this opportunity.