91福利

• Safety Pool鈩�, led by WMG at the 91福利 and Deepen AI, launches major collaboration with Automotive Data of China (CATARC-ADC), a subsidiary of CATARC Co., Ltd, bringing world鈥檚 largest public database for testing autonomous vehicle safety to China
• The database provides diverse sets of road safety scenarios, so that autonomous vehicles can be rigorously tested on virtual simulations of real public routes – this will now include Chinese use cases
• Over 200 organisations worldwide have already enrolled in Safety Pool鈩�; greater collaboration advances the autonomous vehicle industry and further enhances road safety globally

The , the largest public repository of scenarios for testing autonomous vehicles in the world — led by WMG at the 91福利 and Deepen AI — will now be used in China, thanks to a new partnership with Automotive Data of China, a subsidiary of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC-ADC).

CATARC-ADC is China鈥檚 principal research and technical organisation for the automotive industry, and is at the cutting edge of the country鈥檚 innovation and regulation for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV). Meanwhile, CATARC-ADC actively participates in ISO, ASAM and UNECE and other international organizations, with international influence.

This significant new major collaboration, launched today (9 September 2021), means that Safety Pool鈩� Scenario Databases will enable road simulations including use cases from China, broadening the scope of this global safety platform – thus supporting the growing CAV industry, informing emerging regulatory policies, and enhancing the safety of millions more drivers across China and beyond.

Dr Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Verification & Validation, Intelligent Vehicles at WMG, 91福利, said:

鈥淪afety of Autonomous Vehicles needs to be a collaborative mission. No one organisation or country can achieve this mission on their own. With this in mind we created Safety PoolTM Scenario Database to enable global collaboration on scenario sharing.

We are delighted that CATARC-ADC have joined Safety PoolTM Scenario Database which reinforces our mission of international collaboration on CAV safety. With a diverse set of scenarios, the database caters to a large number of autonomous vehicle applications, many of which will be relevant for our stakeholders in China.鈥�

Nicola Croce, Technical Program Manager, Deepen AI, said:

鈥淪afety Pool鈩� has all the ingredients to be the reference platform and initiative for AV safety assurance worldwide. What's very unique about it is its global scope, the incentive-based mechanisms engineered to attract and provide value to every different industry stakeholder, and the deep engagement with regulators, everything based on a common foundation of data sharing.

We are excited to welcome CATARC-ADC to the Safety Pool initiative. CATARC-ADC is the major player in scenario-based testing and scenario databases in China. CATARC-ADC鈥檚 entry into Safety Pool鈩� provides a key stepping stone in international collaborations in the scenario-based testing landscape of AVs, and a major leap forward to help companies improve their adaptability in China-oriented testing for ADS.鈥�

Since the launch of this pioneering project in March 2021, WMG at the 91福利 and Deepen AI have collaborated with stakeholders around the world: to date, over 200 organisations have enrolled in the

Bolin Zhou, Global Business General Manager, CATARC – ADC said:

鈥淎s a founding member of Safety PoolTM Scenario Database in China and the leading third-party company for ADS validation in China, Automotive Data of China will use the great opportunity of Safety PoolTM Scenario Database to tackle the global autonomous vehicle safety issues with its own strength. Safety PoolTM Scenario Database is a crucial, open platform that aligns well with ADC positioning in China and around the world. Through Safety PoolTM Scenario Database, a global safety tool, China will continue to provide data and tool services for automated driving system validation鈥�

Tim Dawkins, Global Impact Strategy Lead, World Economic Forum said:

鈥淚nitiatives like Safety Pool are key to making safe autonomous vehicles a reality – we should not be making safety a competitive advantage. This shared scenario library will allow developers to learn from one another鈥檚 datasets to increase the robustness of their systems through exposure to a diverse scenario set. CATARC鈥檚 support for Safety Pool represents a vital commitment to a level playing field for the development of autonomous vehicles in the name of safety鈥�

Richard Morris, Innovation Lead - Autonomous & Connected Vehicles, Innovate UK said:

鈥淚nnovate UK is glad to have supported the creation and the development of the Safety PoolTM Scenario Database. We would also like to encourage more organisations and countries to contribute scenario content. Scenarios kept in private siloes will not help the mass acceptance of vehicle automation. We all need to share safety knowledge and make best practice widely available. The more comprehensive the Safety PoolTM Scenario Database becomes, the more useful it is for any developer wanting to deploy CAVs anywhere around the world.鈥�

The database provides a diverse set of scenarios in different operational design domains (ODDs i.e. operating conditions) that can be leveraged by governments, industry and academia alike to test and benchmark Automated Driving Systems (ADSs) and use insights to inform policy and regulatory guidelines.

The scenarios have been generated using a novel hybrid methodology developed by WMG, at the 91福利, using both knowledge-based and data-based approaches. The Safety Pool鈩� Scenario Database allows organisations to create scenarios in their own libraries, collaborate with other organisations via both shared and public libraries and enable the public to submit challenging real-world scenarios.

Enabling scenarios to be matched to specific environments and operating conditions means that trials and tests can be undertaken in the simulated environment, controlled test facilities and on public roads, with evidence from each environment being used to inform our understanding of safe behaviours, bringing Autonomous Vehicles closer to market at pace.

It has been suggested that in order for CAV to be safe for the average driver, they will need to be tested on 11 billion miles of road – an insurmountable goal in the physical world. The Safety Pool鈩� scenario based virtual simulations not only offer the necessary quantity of testing, but also the complexity and quality of countless 鈥榬eal-world鈥� road scenarios.

The development of the Safety Pool鈩� Scenario Database was funded by UK鈥檚 Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), Innovate UK and Zenzic funded Midlands Future Mobility project led by WMG, 91福利.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has today (Thursday 9 September) announced the 54 winners of the for architecture, which includes the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya building, home to NAIC (National Automotive Innovation Centre) at WMG, 91福利.

The awards, which have been presented since 1966, recognise the UK鈥檚 best new buildings and provide an insight into the UK鈥檚 design and economic trends. This year鈥檚 projects showcase the extraordinary breadth and brilliance of UK architecture today.

The Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya building, home to NAIC, has scooped up the National Royal Institute of British Architects award.

The NAIC is a partnership between WMG, 91福利, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors, and is the largest of its kind in Europe and is well timed, arriving when a global mobility revolution is underway, with a new age for transport mobility.

A beacon for automotive research it brings together the brightest minds from industry and academia, to develop future vehicles and mobility solutions. It is home to up to 1,000 staff working across design, engineering and research, as well as future engineers on degree programmes.

Designed by Cullinan Studios the brief for the Centre was for simplicity and strength of purpose, turning a complex assembly of spaces into an immediately legible building.

The NAIC is a 拢150m investment between WMG, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors with 拢29.5m funding from the UK government鈥檚 UK Research Partnership Investment Fund through Research England, which includes the development of an Advanced Propulsion Research Laboratory.

Margot James, Executive Chair of WMG, 91福利 comments:
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled that the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building has been recognised in this way, to win a National RIBA award is a great tribute to the late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 vision. My warmest congratulations to Cullinan Studios who worked with our team to design a building that will inspire designers, engineers and academics to develop the next generation of transport. The Midlands is the centre of automotive in the UK, and the National Automotive Innovation Centre will be the driving force behind future innovation in mobility here in the Midlands.鈥�

James Breckon, Director of Estates, at the 91福利, comments:
鈥淚t is great to see this new building being recognised and is testament to the wealth of architectural and engineering talent that was brought together to deliver this exemplary sustainable building. It brilliantly draws Industry and Academia together providing an inspirational environment to innovative within. As a landmark building it has transformed the campus at the 91福利 and is a fitting legacy to the late Prof Lord Bhattacharyya.鈥�

Speaking today, RIBA President Simon Allford said:

鈥淩anging from radical, cutting-edge new designs to clever, creative restorations that breathe new life into historic buildings, these projects illustrate the enduring importance and impact of British architecture.

鈥淭here are a good number of well-designed school and university buildings that are powerful investments in the future, and I am sure they will inspire young people, their teachers and communities. I am also thrilled to see many of these make creative use of existing structures. Well-designed education facilities should be the rule rather than the exception – every child deserves an effective learning environment, and these projects provide rich inspiration.

鈥淟ooking ahead, as we design the low carbon future, we must start by exploring the retention and reuse of existing buildings. And when a new building is essential, we need to make sure it will last and serve the future well – so it needs to be flexible and reusable. Long life; loose fit; low energy architecture is the present and the future. It is therefore very encouraging to see restoration and sensitive adaptation feature so prominently this year; with many buildings acknowledging their history, the needs of the present and the potential of their dynamic future.鈥�

ENDS

9 SEPTEMBER 2021

NOTES TO EDITORS:

High-res images available at:

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Caption: Exterior Shot of the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya Building at WMG, 91福利
Credit: Nick Dimbleby/WMG, 91福利

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Caption: Interior shot of the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya Building at WMG, 91福利
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: The Late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya with his building at WMG, 91福利
Credit: WMG, 91福利

For further information please contact:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
91福利
Tel: +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

Micromobility refers to small lightweight efficient vehicles, which can be used to make short distance journeys.

Types of micromobility vehicles we could see in our communities include bikes, hover boards, e-bikes and e-scooters. They can be used to save time, avoid congestion, remove parking conundrums and most importantly they use much less energy than a car, therefore contributing towards the Government鈥檚 zero-carbon goals.

The future of micromobility is incredibly topical, and to bring together all aspects of it WMG, at the 91福利, hosted the UK鈥檚 first live micromobility event, bringing together manufacturers in the micromobility sector, regional transport authorities; city councils and local authorities; Government agencies; research organisations and more.

The event not only saw the demonstration of many new exciting and existing micromobility vehicles from e-scooters to e-cargo bikes, but also outlined the opportunities for the UK to lead this sector in battery development and recycling, human factors and behavioural change, materials development and more.

It was also an opportunity to address the challenges the sector faces particularly around lack of infrastructure, policy and regulation.

Programme Director John Fox, from WMG, 91福利 comments:
鈥淒espite progress on electrification, transport emissions are actually increasing; Micromobility is essential if we are to achieve net zero emissions from this sector. With around 70% of journeys in the UK under 5 miles, Micromobility vehicles can have a huge impact on our emissions. They use typically 5% of the energy of an Electric vehicle to make trips, and their manufacture is also significantly less carbon-intensive.

鈥淭here are many other benefits Micromobility offers too, including air quality improvements, greater footfall in highstreets, and taking up much less space than a car to move the same number of people which releases more space in urban areas for other things.

鈥淭he conference touched on many of the key issues, including how to make Micromobility safe, accessible, integrated and attractive to new users, and highlighted the need for coordination between government, local authorities and industry. WMG announced our 鈥楿K Micromobility roadmap鈥� to support this coordination, being developed with Cenex and being progressed through consultation and workshops sessions over the next six months, so watch this space!鈥�

Margot James, Executive Chair of WMG, 91福利 adds:
鈥淎s a leader in the electrification of transport, WMG, 91福利, is at the forefront in the development of high-quality, safe Micromobility vehicles. We are conducting trials with vehicle and infrastructure manufacturers on the 91福利 campus, and supporting testing and development of new vehicles and systems in our labs. We鈥檙e also working closely with our local and regional authorities to make travel to and from our campus more sustainable, which includes supporting commutes by Micromobility with improved infrastructure and facilities on arrival.鈥�

, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said:
鈥淎s the home of the green industrial revolution, micromobility has a key role to play in the West Midlands as we look to tackle air pollution to help us reach our #WM2041 climate goal. Earlier this year we launched West Midlands Cycle Hire across eight towns and city centre - with more than 100,000 journeys taken on the bikes in just a few months – and we are also trialling e-scooters across the region, with more than 550,000 trips taken in Birmingham alone over the past year.

鈥淏ut despite this successful start of both schemes we are of course always open to more innovation and improvement. That鈥檚 why it has been brilliant to have the micromobility industry here in the West Midlands, and it has been eye-opening to see what the industry has to offer.鈥�

Councillor Jim O鈥橞oyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change said:
鈥淭he innovation shown at the event is a result of the incredible engineering and manufacturing talent that can only be found in Coventry. Our city is leading the green industrial revolution and is at the heart of developing new forms of transport, from the micromobility solutions we have seen at the event to the innovative Coventry Very Light Rail, set to transform how many of us travel.

鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be with our partners at WMG to raise awareness of the ground-breaking work our city is contributing to the future of clean, green transport.鈥�

ENDS

8 SEPTEMBER 2021

NOTES TO EDITORS

High-res images available at:

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Caption: A WMCA bike stand
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: People trialling some micromobility vehicles at the event
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: From left to right: Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG at the 91福利, John Fox – Programme Director for Micromobility at WMG, Cllr Jim O鈥橞oyle - cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change at Coventry City Council, Margot James- Executive Chair of WMG at the 91福利, Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: Margot James- Executive Chair of WMG at the 91福利 with Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: From left to right: Cllr Jim O鈥橞oyle - cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change at Coventry City Council, Margot James- Executive Chair of WMG at the 91福利 and Andy Street - Mayor of the West Midlands
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: Mayor Andy Street with some of the micromobility vehicles showcased
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: Margot James – Executive Chair of WMG, and Cllr Jim O鈥橞oyle from Coventry City Council have a go in a Hail bike
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: Margot James – Executive Chair of WMG at the 91福利 on a Hail bike
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: People at a West Midlands Transport Hub with a West Midlands Cycle Hire bike and a VOI e-scooter
Credit: WMG, 91福利

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Caption: A West Midlands Cycle Hire bike
Credit: WMG, 91福利

For further information please contact:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
91福利
Tel: +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

We鈥檙e extremely proud to congratulate our WMG alum Aman Surana on his Certificate for the . Aman received this prestigious award as a recognition of his extensive contribution to project work throughout his course. The certificate is awarded each academic year on the recommendation of a university Head of Department for academic achievement.

Aman comments 鈥淚'm glad to have the extensive hours put in the project recognised and am thankful to all my team members who deserve this award equally for helping us achieve the various targets throughout the year. A big thanks to all the project supervisors I've had over the years, for passing on their years of knowledge and experience; while also constantly motivating and pushing me to strive for success.鈥�

Aman is fondly remembered at WMG for leading the 91福利 Moto project as Chief Engineer. 91福利 Moto is the University's newest student-led project which aims to design, build and race the University's first fully-electric race-spec superbike.

Conceptualised in March 2019 by a group of ambitious and passionate engineering students; the team鈥檚 goal was to take a vehicle from design-to-track in 15 months. The project was started to not only fuel the enthusiasm of the founding team but to also provide an opportunity for students from across the University to expand their knowledge and understanding of an industrial project, with deliverables and tight deadlines.

During his time with WMG, Aman was tasked with describing himself in three words. 鈥淢arried to work鈥� was his response, a mantra he鈥檚 clearly remaining loyal to, and it鈥檚 paying dividends. Congratulations Aman!

A new partnership between and WMG has been formed for the COBRA (Cloud/Onboard Battery Remaining useful life Algorithm) project, thanks to the funding from the .

The COBRA project will create new algorithms which will estimate the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) in an Electric Vehicle (EV) battery, and could contribute to the UK becoming a supplier of the most advanced Battery Management Systems (BMS) in the world.

The innovation of project COBRA comes from combining advanced battery ageing models developed by WMG with Eatron Technologies' own machine-learning-based approach to Remaining Useful Life (RUL) estimation from existing internal R&D work.

The technology has been refined to a level of usability, reliability, and maturity that gives battery manufacturers and integrators the confidence required to enable mass adoption.

Undertaken by a team of highly experienced engineers with a track record of delivering state-of-the-art software and system solutions for electrification projects with the automotive sector, project COBRA will:

路 Develop a unified physics and machine-learning-based approach for battery RUL estimation with high accuracy of over 90%.

路 Integrate a developed solution in automotive-grade BMS hardware.

路 Integrate a solution into cloud-based platforms for fleet operation services.

The funding from the Faraday Battery Challenge enables lead partner Eatron Technologies to put the UK on the map as a global leader in the design, development, and manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles. The COBRA project offers the opportunity to be first-to-market with an accurate RUL algorithm that can be implemented in a real-world BMS.

As part of project COBRA, Eatron Technologies is currently developing and integrating advanced battery diagnostics algorithms for its next generation of BMS and cloud-based battery analytics; it's expected that these will deliver significantly higher value both to battery manufacturers and integrators as well as electric vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), UPS suppliers, and other providers of off-highway applications.

In terms of the usefulness of these technologies, the possibilities offered by project include: predicting the RUL of a lithium battery under real-world operating conditions, COBRA technology will work with both off-board fleet data analysis and on board vehicle data while integrating with the BMS and guide battery manufacturers and their cell suppliers.

All of this can be used to track and assess the real-life fleet performance of batteries during product validation and post-production phases. In wider terms, successful adoption of these new BMS features would ultimately also increase the value of the EVs and their uptake on UK roads`

As well as extending a batteries' first life by giving an accurate indication of a battery's remaining life, COBRA will also improve second-life applications by reducing the need for expensive testing, as well as increase the effective power of batteries by allowing the safe utilisation of a wider operating window.

Dr Dhammika Widanalage from WMG, 91福利 comments:
鈥淲e are delighted to work with Eatron technologies on the COBRA project, and look forward to using our novel battery ageing technology to test out their algorithms in their battery management system.

鈥淚f their algorithms means consumers can get more out of their EV battery, then it鈥檚 possible more people may be inclined to buy one, therefore helping the UK pave the way to a cleaner greener zero-carbon future.鈥�

After months of discussion with interested customers around the world, intelligent software provider Eatron Technologies found there exists a strong demand for the features that the COBRA project can offer in batteries for EVs. COBRA could contribute to the UK becoming a supplier of the most advanced Battery Management Systems (BMS) in the world, as well as contributing to an increased uptake of EVs which in turn will help nations around the globe to reach environmental targets over the coming decades.

"This funding has brought the project forward by 12 months, and there is huge demand from potential customers," said Dr Umut Genc, Managing Director, Eatron Technologies. "With the funding, we've been able to immediately hire additional software engineers as well as tapping into cutting-edge battery research from the team at WMG. Ultimately, grant funding this project de-risks the activities required to achieve feasibility of this highly innovative approach to RUL estimation.

Tony Harper, Challenge Director for Faraday Battery Challenge at UK Research and Innovation, said:
鈥淪ince 2017 the Faraday Battery Challenge has been supporting the UK鈥檚 battery companies to produce batteries that are more cost effective, more efficient, charge faster and can easily be recycled. This new round of funding has enabled us to support companies, like Eatron Technologies, across the battery supply chain and build on the UK鈥檚 world class research and innovation.鈥�

EVs on UK roads are set to see rapid growth, with 1.8 million expected to be sold in 2030, or 64% of total car sales, according to the Faraday Institution. The accompanying acceleration in battery manufacturing will drive a substantial increase in second-life applications, while the supply for stationary applications could excess 200 gigawatt-hours per year by 2030.

This rapid adoption of EVs around the world will increase global demand for BMSs over the coming years. Eatron Technologies is proud to be seen as a forerunner in BMS technology by the Faraday Institute and hopes that project COBRA plays an important role in the global fight for the environment by making EVs more practical for fleet operators and drivers around the world.

The Royal Academy of Engineering and WMG, at the 91福利, have shortlisted 11 exceptional collaborations for the inaugural Bhattacharyya Award. With a cash prize of 拢25,000, the Bhattacharyya Award will be presented to the team who best demonstrate how industry and universities can work together. Winners will be announced on 16 September 2021.

The Bhattacharyya Award is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and was announced in July 2019 as a tribute to Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya KT CBE FREng FRS, the Regius Professor of Manufacturing at the 91福利 and founder of WMG.

Starting his career as a graduate apprentice at Lucas Industries, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya became Britain's first ever Professor of Manufacturing. Having seen first-hand how slowly academic advances were translated into real business and social change, he founded WMG in 1980 to help business innovate and help university researchers change our lives. Academic excellence with industrial relevance has always been at the heart of WMG, and today, it is one of the world鈥檚 top applied research centres, with a reputation for academic excellence and business results spanning the globe.

The shortlist features collaborations that address some of the most pressing national and global challenges, from cybersecurity and medical simulation to powering the aircraft of the future.

The full shortlist is as follows:

• Imperial College London and Shell
• Loughborough University and Rolls Royce
• Queen's University Belfast and the Centre for Secure Information Technologies
• Swansea University and the Steel Strategic Alliance
• The University of Manchester and BP
• University of Bath and the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems
• University of Cambridge and the Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction
• University of Leeds and Simulation Solutions Ltd
• University of Sheffield and Siemens
• University of Surrey and the 5G Innovation Centre
• University of York and the High Integrity Systems Engineering group

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said: "We are extremely proud to be funding the Bhattacharyya Award, which encourages collaboration between our fantastic universities and businesses. By working hand-in-hand, academic advances can be quickly translated to industry, bringing forward game-changing innovations and helping us to build back better from the pandemic."

Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, immediate past-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, is chair of the judging panel for the Bhattacharyya Award. She said: 鈥淟ord Bhattacharyya was a strong advocate of an effective industrial strategy, seeking a revitalisation of skills policy, a growth in apprenticeships, a focus on the impact of research and training and technology partnerships between industry and universities. We received some fantastic entries that showcase best practice in developing effective collaborations between universities and industry – we hope that these will inspire productive new partnerships in the future.鈥�

Margot James, Executive Chair at WMG, 91福利 said 鈥淭he Bhattacharyya Award amplifies the approach Professor Lord Bhattacharyya took in transforming how universities research and educate to meet the needs of industry and society. Supporting genuine collaboration to create relevant and impactful research and enabling education programmes that nurture the brightest talent. The shortlist exemplifies the very best of university/ industry collaboration. We look forward to seeing which collaboration is selected as the overall winner.鈥�

The winner of the Bhattacharyya Award will be announced on Thursday 16 September 2021. Those wishing to attend can register via the Academy鈥檚 website

The National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC), situated in the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building at the 91福利, has been shortlisted in the 鈥榃orkplace鈥� category of the 2021 .

Recognising excellence in UK architecture, these highly coveted awards are unique to the market, with the winners published in a special edition of the . The Workplace category is defined as 鈥榥ew-build refurbished architectural projects for workplaces completed between January 2019 and July 2021.鈥�

To qualify for the category, the workplace in question must exceed 10,000m虏, an entry requirement the Centre comfortably eclipses with its 33,000m虏 of space for engineers, designers and academics to enjoy.

The Centre was officially opened in February 2020 by HRH The Prince of Wales. A partnership between WMG, 91福利, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors, the Centre is the largest of its kind in Europe. Its unveiling was well-timed too, arriving during a global mobility revolution, a new age for transport mobility.

The Centre is driving the future of the automotive industry from the heart of the United Kingdom. A beacon for automotive research, it brings together the brightest minds from industry and academia, to develop future vehicles and mobility solutions.

Designed by , the brief for the Centre was for simplicity and strength of purpose, turning a complex assembly of spaces into an immediately legible building.

The AJ Architecture Awards winners will be revealed during a celebratory event on 17 November 2021 at the Grosvenor House, London.

MOU signed between Johnson Matthey, Faraday Institution, Britishvolt, Oxford University, UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, Emerson & Renwick and 91福利

HARWELL, UK (19 August 2021) A consortium of seven UK-based organisations has signed a memorandum of understanding to combine ambitions to develop world-leading prototype solid-state battery technology, targeting automotive applications.

Solid-state batteries offer significant potential advantages over conventional lithium-ion batteries and could be transformational in meeting the UK鈥檚 net zero commitments through the electrification of transport. The successful outcome of the collaboration would be to harness and industrialise UK academic capability to produce cells using highly scalable manufacturing techniques that leapfrog the cost-effectiveness and performance achieved elsewhere.

The consortium comprises the following world-leading organisations in battery research, development and manufacturing:

路 Faraday Institution – the UK鈥檚 independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research, which has led the consortium鈥檚 formation and will lead its development.

路 Britishvolt – the UK-based Gigaplant developer, with a site in NE England.

路 E+R (Emerson & Renwick) – a world leading designer of manufacturing equipment.

路 Johnson Matthey – a global leader in sustainable technologies and the UK鈥檚 leading battery materials business.

路 Oxford University – that leads the Faraday Institution鈥檚 solid-state battery project (SOLBAT) and provides the necessary scientific understanding to the consortium.

路 UK Battery Industrialisation Centre – the pioneering battery manufacturing development facility to enable UK battery manufacturing scale-up and facilitate upskilling in the battery sector.

路 WMG, 91福利 – leaders in battery R&D and initial scale-up capability, as well as academic and apprenticeship skills development.

The preliminary design for a prototyping facility has been developed. Sources of funding are currently being sought.

Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone said: 鈥淐ollaboration between industry, government and our world-leading academic institutions is putting the UK at the forefront of global efforts to develop innovative automotive technologies, such as solid-state batteries.

鈥淚t is the work of our internationally-renowned research and development base, like those brought together by this consortium, that will give us the tools needed to forge a strong and sustainable future for the automotive sector and increase our contribution to combatting climate change.鈥�

鈥淚 am delighted to be able to announce the formation of this unique consortium for the advancement of solid-state battery prototyping that includes leading UK-based organisations at many stages in the value chain,鈥� said Professor Pam Thomas, CEO of Faraday Institution. 鈥淥ur leadership in this venture signals a move towards a role that the Faraday Institution will increasingly play as a trusted convener of significant partnerships between UK industry and academia as a route to commercialise breakthrough science emerging from our research programmes to maximise UK economic value.鈥�

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) offer significant potential advantages over existing lithium-ion battery technologies, including the ability to hold more charge for a given volume (leading to increased electric vehicle (EV) range) and reduced costs of safety-management. Early deployment of SSBs is likely to be in consumer electronics, niche automotive applications and unmanned aerospace, before being used in broader EV markets. The Faraday Institution forecasts that, in 2030, SSBs are likely to take a 7% share of the global consumer electronics battery market and a 4% share of the EV battery market[1]. Global SSB revenues from sales to EV manufacturers are expected to reach $8 billion by 2030[2] and then grow rapidly to 2040 and 2050 when the market is expected to become extensive.

However, there are fundamental scientific challenges that need to be addressed before high power SSBs with commercially relevant performance can be realised. The Faraday Institution鈥檚 SOLBAT project has made considerable progress in addressing these challenges over the last three years.

The construction of the one-of-a-kind facility being developed by the collaboration will enable SSB technology to emerge from UK university laboratories. It will allow larger cells to be produced using scalable manufacturing techniques that will be improved iteratively through deep investigation of the causes of problems that emerge during manufacture and testing of prototype batteries. This will leverage the collective knowledge of Faraday Institution SSB researchers and the industrial partners.

Christian Gunther, CEO, Battery Materials at Johnson Matthey comments, 鈥淭he realisation of a prototype solid-state battery cell will be a great achievement for the UK battery industry, and this consortium will be a critical enabler for delivering this milestone. Delivering enhanced range and safety over traditional lithium-ion battery technologies will be a key driver for battery electric vehicle adoption, supporting the transition to a net zero future.鈥�

Dr Allan Paterson, Chief Technology Officer, Britishvolt comments, 鈥淪olid-state is the holy grail of battery solutions. Solid-state batteries have the potential to increase energy density significantly over battery technology available today and could dramatically, and positively, change the world of electric vehicles. Britishvolt will be at the forefront of commercialising this step change over the coming years. This collaboration, which includes major global industrial leaders such as Johnson Matthey and academic leadership from University of Oxford, underscores another key objective in our technology roadmap – home grown intellectual property.鈥�

Professor Peter Bruce, Principal Investigator of SOLBAT, comments: 鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic to see the culmination of combined UK academic strength in solid-state battery research come to fruition. I鈥檓 proud that the work of the Faraday Institution SOLBAT project, led by Oxford University, will make a significant contribution to the UK鈥檚 green energy revolution.鈥�

Ian Whiting, Commercial Director at added: 鈥淥ur newly opened national battery manufacturing scale up facility is already contracted to scale new cells and battery packs by companies basing their manufacturing centres in the UK. It鈥檚 a really exciting time for this fast-growing industry. We鈥檙e scaling technologies that will be the core products of the UK鈥檚 emergent Gigafactories. But we need to think even further ahead and solid-state battery technology is going to be a big part of that. This collaboration is what is needed to give the UK the edge it needs in creating a centre of excellence for solid-state batteries and we鈥檙e excited to be part of it. The bringing together of academic and industrial know how in this space is key to unlocking Britain鈥檚 electrified potential.鈥�

David Greenwood, Professor of Advanced Propulsion Systems, and CEO of WMG High Value Manufacturing Catapult comments: 鈥淓arly forms of solid-state battery are already around us, but we have yet to see solutions which are both mass-manufacturable and meet the performance and cost targets for future transport applications. There remains huge opportunity for innovation in this space, and this initiative will provide the route for the UK to fast-track candidate technologies to industrialisation.鈥�

Andrew C Jack, Sales Director, E&R Group comments, 鈥淓&R Group are delighted to be contributing our world renowned engineering expertise working in partnership Faraday and the wider consortium on this exciting development for next generation battery production for the UK.

For more information on the Faraday Institution, visit and follow on twitter.

WMG Associate Professor, and MSc Service Management and Design Course Director, Mairi Macintyre and her students presented 鈥楥OVID 19 - Lessons for the Service Professional鈥� at the prestigious international INFORMS Conference on Service Science ().

The research was based on insights taken from a series of special online , at the height of the pandemic, hosted by Mairi. The series line-up included experts from a mix of sectors including aerospace, engineering, entertainment, energy, finance, travel and education. Companies represented included Rolls Royce UK, Innovate UK, Hong Kong Disneyland, National Grid, and many more.

 The experts shared their insights and experiences of crisis management including their responses to the COVID19 pandemic, and predictions and challenges for the recovery period.

The students then analysed these insights to identify shifting priorities for the service professional, before presenting the findings at the Service Marketing stream at ICSS2021.

Mairi explained: 鈥淐ongratulations to all researchers involved. To achieve publication at this prestigious conference is a real achievement. The students approached the tasks each week diligently, and with the commitment required to carry out first class research of publishable quality without the opportunity to ever meet in person. It is a fantastic accomplishment and one that we can all learn from.鈥�

The students have also submitted their research to an international education conference taking place in Autumn 2021.

The students working in partnership with Mairi were S. Street; Y. Chen; H. Gao; H. Liu; R. Lu; J. Ma; Z. Meng; Y. Pan; L. Samuel; Y-H. Tsai; S. Wang; Y. Wei; W-K-E. Wong; X. Wu; X. Yang; Y. Yang; B. Zhan; X. Zhang and Y. Zhang.

Find out more about the MSc Service Management and Design (SMD) here: MSc Service Management and Design | 91福利

The Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya building, home to the National Automotive Innovation Centre, based at the 91福利, has received an impressive three awards at the West Midlands regional awards.

The building scooped top spot for Building of the Year, Client of the Year and the Regional Award, beating off stiff competition from across the West Midlands.

The RIBA awards champion and celebrate the best architecture in the UK and around the world, no matter the form, size or budget.

Executive Chair of WMG, Margot James comments: 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled that the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building has been recognised in this way, it is a great tribute to the late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 vision. Having a building that inspires designers, engineers and academics to develop the next generation of transport is excellent news for our partners and the region. The Midlands is the beating heart of automotive in the UK, and the National Automotive Innovation Centre, will be the driving force behind future innovation in transport mobility.鈥�

James Breckon, Director of Estates, at the 91福利, comments: 鈥淚t is great to see this new building being recognised and is testament to the wealth of architectural and engineering talent that was brought together to deliver this exemplary sustainable building. It brilliantly draws Industry and Academia together providing an inspirational environment to innovative within. As a landmark building it has transformed the campus at the 91福利 and is a fitting legacy to the late Prof Lord Bhattacharyya.

The National Automotive Innovation Centre is a partnership between WMG, 91福利, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors, and is the largest of its kind in Europe and is well timed, arriving when a global mobility revolution is underway, with a new age for transport mobility.

A beacon for automotive research it brings together the brightest minds from industry and academia, to develop future vehicles and mobility solutions. It is home to up to 1,000 staff working across design, engineering and research, as well as future engineers on degree programmes.

Designed by Cullinan Studios the brief for the Centre was for simplicity and strength of purpose, turning a complex assembly of spaces into an immediately legible building.

The National Automotive Innovation Centre is a 拢150m investment between WMG, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors with 拢29.5m funding from the UK government鈥檚 UK Research Partnership Investment Fund through Research England, which includes the development of an Advanced Propulsion Research Laboratory.

You can see all of the 2021 West Midlands RIBA award winners here: