UK automotive plan

The industry-led New Automation Innovation and Growth Team (NAIGT) has outlined its 20-year vision for the UK automotive industry.

According to the report, government ambivalence and ‘lack of overt, consistent, strategic support’ have damaged the reputation of the UK car industry abroad.

This problem, compounded by the market conditions, has led to the loss of thousands of jobs in the UK automotive supply chain over the past year.

The main concerns of the report are the ‘hollowing out’ of the UK’s labour base, the sharp decline in research and development and the reduction of sourcing in the UK from first-, second- and third-tier suppliers.

Despite current economic difficulties, NAIGT has stressed that focussing on short-term solutions would be counter productive to improving the UK’s manufacturing base.

Key areas of development in the report include long-term goals of establishing a joint industry/government automotive council to develop a strategic framework and setting up a pilot to develop and demonstrate new low-carbon personal transportation systems.

In support of this, the report highlights a series of recommendations for the government to take onboard.

These include creating a transformed business environment in the UK, agreeing on technology roadmaps and developing a stronger supply chain through joint research projects.

Economics and business minister Ian Pearson said: ‘I welcome the publication of this report and would like to thank all involved from the automotive industry, academia and the wider stakeholder community for their substantial contribution to this project.

‘The NAIGT rightly emphasises the importance of the automotive industry to the UK manufacturing sector and the wider economy.

‘It also recognises that to secure this position for the long term, the UK needs to become a leading global player in the development of low-carbon transport.’