Skip to main content

UK smart mobility living lab launched in London

UK transport consultancy, the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), has launched the UK Smart Mobility Living Lab @ Greenwich; a real-life environment where connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), services and processes can be safely developed, evaluated and integrated within the local community. Based in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London and supported by UK government, the UK Smart Mobility Living Lab @ Greenwich helps organisations bring solutions to market faster by enabling them to be trialled a
February 19, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
UK transport consultancy, the Transport Research Laboratory (491 TRL), has launched the UK Smart Mobility Living Lab @ Greenwich; a real-life environment where connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), services and processes can be safely developed, evaluated and integrated within the local community.

Based in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London and supported by UK government, the UK Smart Mobility Living Lab @ Greenwich helps organisations bring solutions to market faster by enabling them to be trialled and validated in a real-life environment. Vehicle manufacturers, OEMs and tech developers can use the lab to assist with research and development, concept testing and validation, launching new technology or services, and understanding how new technology is perceived in a real world environment.

TRL has identified three clear challenges facing the CAV market today; the choice and variety of technologies available to manufacturers, the rate at which the capacity and speed of those technologies are developing and the automotive industry’s ability to adapt quickly enough to capitalise on the opportunities this presents. The UK Smart Mobility Living Lab aims to help organisations address these challenges by providing an open innovation environment in which industry, academia and the public sector can collaborate to accelerate the development of safe, efficient and effective CAV systems.

London provides the ideal location to explore the interoperability of CAVs with other transport services; due to the permissive regulations, thriving automotive industry and excellent research base and innovation infrastructure.

Greenwich benefits from a diverse range of transport modes including roads, buses, underground, rail, Docklands Light Railway, river bus and the Emirates Airline cable car. This provides an ideal environment to test the interaction and interoperability of connected and autonomous vehicles in a variety of different environments.

Rob Wallis, CEO of TRL commented: “The launch of the UK Smart Mobility Living Lab is an important step in the path towards vehicle automation. Many organisations are testing autonomous systems in dedicated off-street facilities, but the success of these vehicles largely depends on how they integrate into real world living environments, alongside existing transport services. By providing a welcoming and real-life regulatory environment for testing, TRL can help accelerate the adoption of new technology and enable the UK to play a pivotal role in the development of this global market over the next five years.”

Transport Minister Andrew Jones added: “Driverless cars will improve road safety and bring huge benefits to the economy. We have backed projects in Greenwich with £9m of funding that are helping to turn it into a major centre for testing and demonstration. I am excited to see the UK Smart Mobility Living Lab progress, helping to keep the UK at the forefront of the motoring of the future.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Volkswagen emissions – ‘a missing global standard is the issue’ say UK organisations
    September 24, 2015
    The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and research organisation Frost and Sullivan have both commented on the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal, which has resulted in the resignation of CEO Martin Winterkorn. The world's biggest carmaker by sales has admitted to US regulators that it programmed its cars to detect when they were being tested and altered the running of their diesel engines to conceal their true emissions. Winterkorn said, “I am shocked by the events of the past few days. Above
  • Westminster: DoT’s Ella Taylor on transport changes and challenges
    January 15, 2018
    Ella Taylor, head of innovation, connectivity and data, centre for connected and autonomous vehicles, Department for Transport (DoT) addressed the changes in the transport ecosystem, and how the government hopes to address challenges at Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum Keynote Seminar. Opening the presentation, Taylor stated that changes in automation are not only affecting cars but are also creating new modes of transport. In addition, changes in business models are also enabling
  • RCA designs mobility for life
    June 11, 2019
    The Royal College of Art is a design powerhouse, and researcher Artur Mausbach is turning his attention to what future mobility will look – and feel – like. Adam Hill finds out more The name Royal College of Art (RCA) does not immediately bring to mind images of industrial design. But past alumni of this prestigious London institution include vacuum cleaner king James Dyson as well as that former enfant terrible of the artistic world, Tracey Emin: the RCA has always had a foot in both camps. And now it
  • CARTES 2014 where ‘users on the move’ is the central theme
    October 24, 2014
    A message from Isabelle Alfano, Exhibition Director, CARTES Network ‘Users on the move’ is the central theme of this year’s show. A great number of services, devices and systems are built around a new way of life made to fit users’ mobility.