NAIGT sets out hybrid, low carbon emission future for the automotive industry
The New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team (NAIGT) under the guidance of its chair Richard Parry-Jones has been setting out the roadmap of vehicle development for the next 20 years. The NAIGT involves a large number of senior people from Automotive companies, Government Departments, Trade Unions, universities and centres of excellence; including Jaguar Land Rover, Tata, fellow Leamington Spa business Ricardo, MIRA and Zytec.
Key among its recommendations are proposals to: Establish a joint industry/government Automotive Council to develop, guide and implement a long term strategic framework for the industryFocus the UK R&D agenda around a new industry-consensus technology roadmap. As part of this establish ‘Test Bed UK’ a large scale pilot scheme to develop, demonstrate and build the new low-carbon personal transportation system including its infrastructure
The recent report sponsored by Government offices of the BERR, is supporting two key areas of recommendations which are focused on:
- Agreeing on the technology roadmaps for low carbon vehicles and fuels and exploiting opportunities to promote the UK as a strong candidate to develop these and other technologies; and
- Developing a stronger and more competitive supply chain through joint research on focussed areas, skills development and the enhancement and brokering of collaboration opportunities for achieving effective scale in R&D and core technology components
The NAIGT vision for the automotive industry in the UK is: “A competitive, growing, and dynamic industry making a large and increasing contribution to employment and prosperity in the UK, and playing a decisive global role in developing and manufacturing exciting, low carbon vehicle transportation solutions”The Government, led by BERR’s Automotive Unit will consider the NAIGT recommendations for action and will respond in a Government response in the summer.
Who is NAIGT
The New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team (NAIGT) was launched in April 2008 to facilitate the development of a collective strategic view from the automotive industry on the innovation and growth challenges that it faces in the period to 2025. It was an industry-led project facilitated by the Automotive Unit (AU) within the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). The NAIGT’s work was being delivered through an industry led Steering Group of senior industrialists, academics and financial analysts experienced in the automotive sector.
The Group met between May 2008 and April 2009 and was chaired by Richard Parry-Jones (former Group Vice President and CTO, Ford).Over the last 12 months the areas and issues considered by the NAIGT included: Supply Chain Development; Technology and Low Carbon Product Development; Technology and Low Carbon Infrastructure; Business Environment; and Key Performance Indicators.
Aerospace
