UK Space Agency and European Space Agency award SatCAV Contract
The newly arrived SatCAV shuttle, branded for MK Tech Week (IMAGE: MKCC)
For immediate release: 14 October 2025
We are delighted to announce that the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency (ESA) have recently awarded the SatCAV contract to Smart City MK CIC and its consortium members.
Valued at €2.3M, the SatCAV project will explore how space-based technology can be used to ensure first-mile, last-mile, self-driving shuttle services are able to operate in hard-to-connect areas that include suburban, rural and coastal communities.
To operate safely, these self-driving shuttles require high-quality, highly-secure, always-on 5G connections along the route, enabling them to make split-second, safety-critical decisions and be remotely overseen, monitored and controlled from a centralised Control Centre.
The communities that could benefit most from these services, which, in the next two years will be able to operate with no onboard safety driver, are often in places underserved by traditional public transport offerings, and the self-driving shuttles offer a compelling alternative for places such as these. However, these places are also underserved in terms of high-quality mobile network coverage and the SatCAV project seeks to address this.
Over a 20-month period, Smart City MK CIC, with its consortium partners – Ohmio UK and Excelerate - will explore what Local Authorities, and other potential users and end customers need from these services and undertake early technical development of the new SatCAV product.
Using a combination of traditional 5G and satellite-based technology, the aim is to create an easy-to-deploy, low-cost connectivity solution that meets the exacting network demands for the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) sector. The new SatCAV product will be developed in such a way that it can be easily retrofitted to existing roadside infrastructure, or designed into new housing, business or retail developments. The product will enable other CAV-specific services, including specialist technology to provide highly accurate, space-based, location data to the shuttle, the ability for the shuttle to interact with roadside sensors, signs and signals, the ability for full remote monitoring and control and the ability for passengers to maintain contact with the Control Centre at all times.
These capabilities are needed to provide a service that is safe and secure, commercially-viable, suitable for at-scale deployment and has the trust and acceptance of the travelling public, other road users and regulatory authorities.
As well as solving a critical problem for the self-driving sector, the SatCAV product is intended to be able to support autonomous drones and robots and offer other services, including community wi-fi, environmental monitoring, 5G in-fill, and offering a fallback network to support emergency responders should the primary networks fail.
As part of SatCAV product development, early testing will be undertaken, using an Ohmio Lift shuttle, and Smart City Control Centre, testbed, data centre, Data Exchange and Vehicle-to-everything systems.
People will be able to hear and see more about the project at the Smart City Experience Centre, located in Milton Keynes, and at the upcoming Smart City Robotics Competition, park of the MK Tech Week.
Once the initial work is complete, the consortium plan further work to productise the solution and demonstrate it in action on the public highways in and around Milton Keynes, with plans to deploy the SatCAV product across the UK, Europe and beyond as part of the rapidly accelerating deployment and adoption of self-driving vehicles.
Ian Pulford, Director, Smart City MK CIC, said:
“As we advance deployment of self-driving shuttles across the UK, we need to find ways to deliver these services into harder to connect places, so all communities can benefit… the SatCAV project enables us to do just that, working with specialist partners and using space to overcome the challenges we have on the ground.”
Dean Zabrieszach, CEO, Ohmio, said:
“Ohmio is proud to progress its entry into new markets and be at the forefront of technological innovation. Our Ohmio Lift shuttle was designed from the ground-up to operate autonomously, with the flexibility to overcome different deployment challenges – SatCAV enables us to demonstrate how we can adapt our current solution to meet the needs of a wider passenger community.”
Beth Evans, COO, Excelerate, said:
“We are proud to be part of the SatCAV consortium, delivering cutting-edge, resilient connectivity solutions that will help shape the future of autonomous technology – this project is another exciting step forward in our mission to drive innovation in connected mobility and intelligent infrastructure.”
Antonio Franchi, Head of the Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme, ESA, said:
“SatCAV leverages the latest technological advances, in space and on the ground, using a ‘best of both’ approach to integrate both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks…the SatCAV team are working together to address a real-world problem, in a high growth sector and we can’t wait to see the results from the early stages of the project.”
Rebecca Irving, Telecoms Investment Lead, UK Space Agency, said:
“One of our core missions is to champion the power of space to inspire and deliver greener, smarter solutions for business. SatCAV is a prime example, driving investment and growth in the emerging self-driving vehicle sector, a key pillar of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. This initiative will boost productivity, expand passenger choice, and support cleaner, more efficient travel with less pollution and congestion on our streets.”
ENDS
The SatCAV project logo and partner group (IMAGE: SCMKCIC)
Notes to editors
This contract is part of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme, within ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications directorate, funded by the European Space Agency and the UK Space Agency.
The view expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency.
You can find out more about the ARTES programme here:
ESA Project website: SatCAV | ESA CSC
About the consortium
As well as the consortium members outlined above, other project partners are contributing to the work, including Milton Keynes City Council, Stadium:MK, BT, ECS, CableFree and Spirent.
Smart City MK CIC is a not-for-profit organisation with over a decade of experience in successfully delivering Smart City projects. We work with partners to spearhead development of novel technologies that can benefit citizens and communities, improve people’s lives, and work with communities on education and outreach events to encourage participation, engagement, learning and dissemination.
Ohmio UK are dedicated to the provision of world-leading Intelligent Transport Systems and have developed a world-class self-driving shuttle – the Ohmio Lift to provide first-mile, last-mile passenger services. We have already deployed our vehicles in many different global settings, including the UK and Europe. We recently established our UK headquarters in Milton Keynes to support our growth and as well as working to develop a strong UK-based supply chain, our UK team form part of our global R&D operation.
Excelerate Technology is a leading provider of resilient and secure connectivity solutions that empower critical operations across emergency services, transport, defence, and infrastructure sectors. With a strong focus on innovation and integration, we deliver advanced technologies that ensure seamless communications, real-time data access, and intelligent decision-making – even in the most challenging environments. Our solutions are trusted by public and private sector organisations across the UK and internationally, and we are recognised for our expertise in designing and deploying connected platforms that enhance operational efficiency, safety, and situational awareness. From mobile command units to smart city infrastructure, Excelerate is at the forefront of connected innovation.
About the sector
The Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) sector is rapidly growing, in the UK and globally and the UK Government has committed to investing in and enabling the sector in the UK as part of the UK Modern Industrial Strategy. During the passage of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, the UK Government published Market Forecast data, forecasting a £650B global market by 2035 and a UK market forecast of £42B.
For further information contact:
Paul Flowers
paul.flowers@smartcitymkcic.co.uk