Overview
The Foresight Vehicle Initiative, now administered by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT), is the UK's prime knowledge transfer network for the automotive industry, and is the UK's response to the worldwide crisis in transport.
The Foresight Vehicle Programme, launched in 1995, is a UK government iniative to identify, develop and demonstrate appropriate product and process technologies for road transport for the future.
Foresight Vehicle is a collaboration between industry, academia and Government to identify and demonstrate technologies for sustainable road transport.
The Foresight Vehicle Steering Group was set up by the Transport Panel and the DTI to define the detailed objectives of a programme designed to develop, demonstrate and exploit technology '... to stimulate the UK automotive supplier base to develop products and systems which satisfy increasingly stringent environmental requirements while meeting mass expectations for safety, performance, cost and desirability'.
It consists of representatives of vehicle builders and their suppliers, independent research consultancies and university departments, government departments and user representatives such as motoring organisations.
Future products and technologies must meet social, economic and environmental goals, satisfying market requirements for mobility, safety, performance, cost and desirability, with the objectives of improving the quality of life and wealth creation in the UK.
Research projects are brought forward through 5 Thematic Groups, whose representatives are all expert in their chosen field.
The five Thematic Groups are:
- EPT: Engine Powertrain
- HAEFV: Hybrid, Electric, Alternatively Fuelled Vehicles
- ASSET: Software, Sensors, Electronics and Telematics
- FASMAT: Advanced Structures and Materials
- DMAP: Design and Manufacturing Process
The programme includes Research Networks that are focused on a specific transport issue, technology or sector. They bring together a network of orgranisations with the right expertise and the right sectoral profile. This profile may cover geographical location, industry sector and company size as well as technology. The network members collectively identify the research opportunities, and present proposals to meet the objectives of the Foresight Vehicle Programme.
Funding
(Department for Transport involvement in Foresight Vehicle helps balance the policy-driven aspects of the vehicle engineering research programme with opportunities to invest in innovative bluesky type research leading to advanced technologies for the 21st century. In pursing this balanced approach, DfT expects to contribute about £4 million over a five-year period).