Nissan-Backed evolvAD Project Concludes, Evaluates UK’s Autonomous Driving Readiness

The UK’s autonomous driving (AD) research project, evolvAD, has concluded after 21 months of testing. Led by a consortium of five industry partners, including Nissan as the technical lead, the project assessed the country’s preparedness for deploying AD technologies and examined the integration of autonomous vehicles into existing infrastructure.  

The project builds on previous UK-based research initiatives—HumanDrive and ServCity—and was jointly funded by the UK government and participating companies. Over the past eight years, Nissan’s UK-based AD research has covered more than 16,000 miles across motorways, urban centres, residential streets, and rural roads.  

The evolvAD project was delivered by a consortium comprising Nissan, Connected Places Catapult, Humanising Autonomy, SBD Automotive, and TRL. Funding was provided through the UK government's £100 million Intelligent Mobility fund, administered by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) and delivered by Innovate UK.  

Testing focused on improving AD technology performance in different driving environments. Autonomous vehicles were first evaluated in simulation environments and private test tracks before being introduced onto public roads. The study examined low-speed navigation in narrow residential streets as well as higher-speed driving on unmarked rural roads. To address these challenges, Nissan incorporated a chassis control system designed to enhance braking and steering for improved performance in varied conditions.  

The project also explored the use of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology to support autonomous vehicles. By utilizing infrastructure such as CCTV on residential streets, evolvAD’s connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) received real-time data to enhance situational awareness. The research provided insights into the potential benefits of V2I technology and contributed to the development of new V2I solutions.  

Following the completion of evolvAD, further research will focus on evaluating the UK’s infrastructure and regulatory framework for the introduction of AD systems and services. Robert Bateman, evolvAD Project Manager and Manager of Nissan’s Research and Advanced Engineering team at Nissan Technical Centre Europe, stated that continued collaboration with industry partners will be essential in assessing the UK’s readiness for autonomous mobility. He noted that findings from the project will help inform policymakers and urban planners about the requirements for integrating AD technology into transportation systems.  

Nissan is also conducting autonomous mobility research globally. This includes work at the Nissan Research Centre in Japan and the Nissan Advanced Technology Centre in Silicon Valley, USA. The company is currently testing its ‘Easy Ride’ Serena AD vehicle in Yokohama, Japan, as part of broader research into autonomous mobility services.