The Automotive Council UK

What The Automotive Council UK does

The Automotive Council UK is a non-profit, government-industry coordination body established in 2009 to strengthen dialogue and co-operation between the UK government and the automotive sector. It is not a commercial entity and does not generate revenue; its website is owned and operated by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT), a private limited company registered in England and Wales. The Council is composed of senior figures from across the automotive industry and government, meeting three times per year to align strategy, investment, and innovation. Its core constituents are the UK automotive industry (a £92 billion turnover sector employing nearly 800,000 people, investing £5 billion annually in R&D, and exporting to over 140 countries) and UK government departments including the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Department for Transport.

The Council's "products" are strategic programmes and sector plans rather than commercial goods or services. The flagship offering is DRIVE35, a £4 billion UK government funding programme designed to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicle manufacturing over the next decade. This is complemented by the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan and the broader UK Industrial Strategy, which together articulate priorities across electrification, automation, digitalisation, skills, and supply-chain resilience. The Council also provides sector information, industry statistics, and a news function through its website. It partners with the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Innovate UK to co-deliver R&D funding, and operates within the UK Modern Industrial Strategy framework.

Its business model is non-commercial; the Council is funded and supported operationally through SMMT and government partners, with no disclosed pricing, no revenue streams, and no commercial product roadmap. Its go-to-market is stakeholder coordination rather than sales, leveraging working groups, Council meetings, and government-industry forums. The Council serves as the primary institutional forum for aligning UK automotive sector strategy with government policy, particularly around the transition to zero-emission, connected, and automated mobility.

Name

The Automotive Council UK

Legal name

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited

Website

https://automotivecouncil.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Automotive Council UK is a non-profit government-industry coordination body, established in 2009 and operated by SMMT, that convenes senior figures from the UK automotive sector and government to align strategy, investment, and innovation. It coordinates funding programmes such as DRIVE35 and sector plans supporting the UK's zero-emission automotive transition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Industry Coordination

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (3361)

akta.pro primary industry

Passenger Vehicle Electrical & Electronics Manufacturing (ICE) (IMACAAAK)

Keywords

• Automotive industry coordination
• Automotive policy advocacy
• Automotive manufacturing strategy
• Zero-emission vehicles
• Automotive funding programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-commercial coordination body: The Automotive Council is a government-industry body established in 2009 to enhance dialogue and strengthen co-operation between UK government and the automotive sector. It does not generate commercial revenue. The website is operated by SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Automotive Council UK coordinates dialogue and cooperation between the UK automotive industry and central government to secure the UK's competitive future in automotive manufacturing. It aligns strategy, investment, and innovation across senior industry and government figures through quarterly council meetings, working groups, and the delivery of key strategic outputs including the DRIVE35 Funding Programme, the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, and the broader UK Industrial Strategy. Its work focuses on advancing zero-emission, connected, and automated mobility and on building growth in UK automotive manufacturing, supported by sector data and reports published on its website.

Product overview

The Automotive Council UK is not a product company but an industry-government collaboration body established in 2009 to strengthen cooperation between UK government and the automotive sector. Its offerings consist of strategic programmes and initiatives rather than traditional products. The primary offering is the DRIVE35 Funding Programme, a £4 billion government funding initiative supporting zero-emission vehicle manufacturing. This is supported by the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan and the broader UK Industrial Strategy, which together provide strategic direction, funding mechanisms, and policy support for the UK automotive sector. The Council also provides sector information and industry insights through its website, connecting stakeholders with funding, news, and policy updates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DRIVE35 Funding Programme DRIVE35 is the UK government's long-term £4 billion funding programme to support investment and innovation in automotive manufacturing, helping manufacturers and supply-chain businesses accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
• Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan A government-industry plan outlining priorities around advanced technologies, automation, digitalisation, skills, and supply-chain resilience, alongside the transition to net zero for UK manufacturing.
• Industrial Strategy (Advanced Manufacturing) The UK's long-term plan to boost investment, productivity, and global competitiveness across key manufacturing sectors including automotive, providing signals on government priorities around advanced manufacturing, electrification, supply chains, skills, and innovation.
• UK Automotive Sector Information Service Provides key facts, figures, reports, and insights about the UK automotive industry, including statistics on turnover (£92 billion), employment (~800,000), R&D investment (£5 billion annually), and production capacity (1.3 million vehicles targeted by 2035).

Quantifiable outcome

• UK automotive industry contributes £92 billion in turnover and £25 billion in value added to the British economy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMMT operates the Automotive Council website and provides operational support. SMMT is the trade body representing the UK automotive industry and works closely with government on industry policy.
• Department for Business and Trade (DBT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDBT is the primary government department involved in the Automotive Council, providing policy direction and funding programmes including DRIVE35.
• Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC delivers automotive R&D funding programmes in partnership with the Automotive Council, managing DRIVE35 and other innovation funding initiatives.
• UK Automotive IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Automotive Council comprises senior figures from across the UK automotive industry including manufacturers, suppliers, and industry stakeholders.
• Innovate UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovate UK partners with APC and DBT to deliver DRIVE35 funding programmes supporting automotive innovation and scale-up.
• Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment and industry collaboration under the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, focusing on advanced manufacturing including automotive.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA): Global automotive industry body that represents national automotive associations and manufacturers. A broader international peer that complements the Automotive Council's national-level coordination remit.
• European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA): European-level industry association representing vehicle manufacturers. A broader incumbent peer that does the equivalent coordination work the Automotive Council performs in the UK, but at a pan-European scale.
• Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA): German automotive industry association that coordinates between German automakers, suppliers, and the federal government. A clear international counterpart to the Automotive Council UK in scope and function.
• Alliance for Automotive Innovation: US-based automotive innovation trade group that coordinates between automakers, government, and other stakeholders on policy, technology, and regulation. A direct functional analogue in the US market.

Regional players

• High Value Manufacturing Catapult: UK innovation network that bridges manufacturing research and commercial deployment across multiple sectors. A regional (UK-based) peer that operates with similar government-academia-industry coordination mechanics, although not automotive-specific.
• Aerospace Growth Partnership: UK industry-government partnership that mirrors the Automotive Council's structure for the UK aerospace sector. A thematically analogous peer demonstrating the same coordination model applied to a related advanced manufacturing industry.

Direct peers

• Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC): UK delivery body that manages automotive R&D funding programmes, including DRIVE35, in partnership with the Automotive Council. APC is a core strategic ally that translates Council-aligned strategy into actual funding awards.
• Innovate UK: UK innovation agency that co-delivers DRIVE35 with APC and DBT. Innovate UK is a peer in the government-industry automotive coordination ecosystem, funding innovation projects that complement the Council's strategic agenda.
• Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT): UK automotive industry trade association that operates the Automotive Council's website and provides its administrative backbone. SMMT represents UK automotive manufacturers and suppliers, making it the closest peer and effectively the operational parent of the Automotive Council.
• Department for Business and Trade (DBT): The primary UK government department that funds and steers the Automotive Council. DBT is a peer in the sense that it shapes UK industrial strategy and works on automotive policy in close coordination with the Council.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/autocounciluk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/automotive-council-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Automotive Council UK