A self-driving zero-emission heavy goods vehicle, said to be the world's first, has moved a step closer after $8.3 million (£6.6 million) worth of funding for the project was awarded.
Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS), a UK-based hydrogen-powered commercial vehicle innovator, is developing the HGV for the UK market through the the consortium it leads, Hub2Hub.
The consortium will create a self-driving heavy goods lorry, which will begin vehicles trials in 2024. Major UK retailer Asda is a strategic partner.
The £12 million ($14.8 million) venture has been selected by the Centre for Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) as a recipient for its joint industry and government-funded project.
It aims to improve efficiency, safety and bring operational cost savings for logistics operators, plus create new jobs.
"A transport revolution is taking place in the UK and HVS, together with the consortium, is at the forefront of the innovation," said HVS chief executive Jawad Khursheed.
"We are engineering the world’s first autonomous hydrogen-electric powered HGV to demonstrate hub-to-hub logistics to a leading retailer, Asda, to elevate public perception, showcasing the potential autonomy can deliver thanks to increased safety and fuel savings, and develop new business models."
HVS will receive £3.4 million as one of seven grants being announced from the CCAV and Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) programme.
The consortium will build two prototype vehicles that will allow Level 4 self-driving, which means the vehicle is fully autonomous but a human driver can request control.
The first hydrogen-electric HGV prototype will be fitted with a driver’s cab and tested on the road in autonomous operation, with a human safety driver at the wheel.
The second prototype will have the driver’s cab removed and replaced by an aerodynamic fairing. The vehicle will be evaluated on test tracks with a remote driver.
“In just a few years’ time, the business of self-driving vehicles could add tens of billions to our economy and create tens of thousands of jobs across the UK," said Britain's Business Secretary Grant Shapps.
"This is a massive opportunity to drive forward our priority to grow the economy, which we are determined to seize."
Vehicles running on alternative fuels are part of plans to help countries achieve clean energy targets.
Globally, the hydrogen industry is expected to grow to $183 billion by 2023, from $129 billion in 2017, according to Fitch Solutions.
The development of self-driving vehicles has, however, faced difficulties, with self-driving software systems lacking the ability of humans to predict and assess dangers quickly.
Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said last year that developing self-driving cars was "way harder than I originally thought, by far".
Tesla's Full Self-Driving capability still requires active driver supervision.
"Full autonomy will be dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions," the Tesla website says.
The company in December entered the lorry market with the delivery of its first all-electric Semi model.
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Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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National selection: AF Mohanak
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 1,400m
National selection: Jayide Al Boraq
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Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
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- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
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US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
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2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
