Many new concepts at the intersection of transport and technological innovation—such as self-driving parcel delivery boats—have been awarded investment from the UK government’s future transport fund.

Anthony Browne, the decarbonisation, aviation, and technology minister, has today announced the 41 winning projects of the 2023 Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) competition. They will share more than £1.8 million between them.

The TRIG scheme supports businesses and academics working on innovative ideas in the early stages of their research. Running for a decade, it’s funded more than 400 companies so far and provided over £14 million in investment.

This year, a total of 83% of successful projects are located outside London, and 56% outside the wider South East region, with the University of Strathclyde being a Scotland-based winning recipient.

The Scottish university’s project concerns using data analysis to identify ideal sites for electric heavy goods vehicle charging infrastructure across Scotland, supporting the industry’s transition to electric.

Another project, from RAD Propulsion, looks to create a prototype self-driving boat that will make “last blue mile” parcel deliveries on UK waterways, aiming to cut road congestion and emissions, and improve air quality.

Meanwhile, a project from tech firm OpenSpace considers how an AI tool can be used to tackle rail station disruption, using algorithms to optimise passenger flow and improve passenger experience.

This year’s scheme focused on a number of different challenges in particular, including airports, local transport and maritime decarbonisation, AI, digital twins, the future of connectivity, and the future of freight.

Commenting on the intersection of transport and tech innovation, as well as the new funding, minister Anthony Browne said: “We’re at the dawn of a new age for transport – AI can now help tackle universal challenges like station overcrowding or road congestion by using our historic waterways to deliver parcels by self-driving boat.

“These hugely exciting initiatives represent the best of British innovation, showing it’s UK companies, backed by government funding, that are leading the way in this field, creating jobs and boosting our economy.”

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Erika Lewis, chief executive at the Connected Places Catapult—the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities and transport which has collaboratively delivered the grant—added: “Transport Research and Innovation Grants support high-potential innovators to develop fresh ideas to tackle some of the UK’s most pressing transport challenges.

“Grants have been awarded to projects right across the country covering many transport modes, with several recipients considering how technology developed for one sector could be transferred to another.

“Alongside the funding, all 41 projects will receive specialist business support from Connected Places Catapult to help them realise their commercial potential.”