About V-CAL

Autonomous Transport

The government’s £42 million Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) competition, facilitated by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), has granted £4 million to the V-CAL project located in Sunderland.

V-CAL will expand upon the achievements of the 5G CAL project, which was funded by the Department for Digital Culture Media & Sport (DCMS). The 5G CAL project successfully demonstrated a proof-of-concept (PoC) by autonomously operating a 40-tonne truck and teleoperating it, without the need for a safety driver, to deliver live loads from Vantec to Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK (NMUK).

Proof of Concept

The groundbreaking V-CAL project aims to advance beyond the initial proof-of-concept (PoC) stage and implement the technology in real-world operational scenarios. It will also extend its reach to encompass more intricate and challenging routes, enhancing scalability, reliability, and consistent performance. The project will involve the deployment of up to four zero-emission autonomous Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) on private roads within the Nissan Sunderland site. During these operations, the autonomous HGVs will navigate through various road features such as traffic lights, roundabouts, and interact with other road users. This significant endeavor represents a crucial milestone in the progression of the technology, paving the way for potential future deployment on public roads.

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