The Automotive Council’s technical advisory group has identified five so-called "sticky technologies" in which government should invest.
They include advanced internal combustion engines, lightweight structures, energy storage developments, power management and intelligent transport systems.
Full story: bright future for UK R&D
Why sticky? “They are advanced skills which aren’t very transportable, so clients will keep coming to the UK to achieve the results they need,” says Nissan technology boss Jerry Hardcastle, the leader of the advisory group.
Lotus, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Ricardo and others are among Europe’s leaders advanced internal combustion engines, while the UK's F1 and aerospace know-how means it has capabilities in lightweight structures and energy storage developments such as batteries, flywheels, chemical systems, and race-bred KERS.
Intelligent transport systems includes areas such as interactive navigation and intelligent motorway convoy systems. MIRA test track in Leicestershire has just installed a track to test such systems.
