WMG receives £4.25m for new vehicle projects

Warwick Manufacturing Group will play a key role in two new vehicle projects exploring high power battery and autonomous technologies.

Part of the University of Warwick, WMG is set to receive a total of £4.25m for its role in the new research. The first project – for which the Group has been awarded £3.8m – will see WMG working with BMW and Delta Motorsport to design and develop power dense batteries in the UK. High-power batteries are viewed as a vital technology to enable the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, particularly outside of mainstream automotive applications.

Professor Dave Greenwood from WMG said: “This research collaboration will utilise WMG’s electrochemical materials and engineering expertise, and use WMG’s world class battery testing and validation facilities, for understanding optimal power density in application of Li-ion battery cells, modules and packs.”

“It will push forward the boundaries of existing knowledge of Li-ion cells and battery systems to support higher power capabilities than is currently normal within commercial systems, and to apply this to the developed system. While most mass market car battery applications are more focused on high energy density, higher power will be more important for other vehicle and transport sectors such as high performance cars, rail, marine, buses, trucks, and off-road vehicles.”

The second endeavour will see WMG working as part of an AECOM-led consortium that has secured funding from Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV). Known as CAPRI, the project will aim to deliver an on-road mobility service pilot using connected and autonomous vehicles.

Research will include the design, development and testing of new autonomous and connected PODs, culminating in on-road trials at the Olympic Park in London. WMG will receive £450,000 for its role in the project.

“We will be addressing the cyber-physical security of the PODs,” said WMG’s Professor Carsten Maple. “We will undertake threat modelling, considering all of the possible attackers and methods for remote and local, physical and cyber attacks. Using this modelling we will undertake risk analysis and management to secure the vehicles.”