XL Catlin supports driverless cars study initiative

XL Catlin is supporting a new robotics education initiative called Code Smart, which will see English schools study the science behind driverless cars.

Code Smart starts in October 2018, and is aimed at encouraging a new generation to take up coding and design 21stcentury transport solutions.

Based on the work of UK autonomous vehicle software company, Oxbotica, Code Smart aims to inspire students to think about careers in robotics, artificial intelligence and STEM (science, technology, engineering & maths). Over the course of six sessions, students develop their coding and hardware skills, before attempting a three-session Smart City design challenge.

The initiative comes at a time when computing education in England is changing, with information and communications technology (ICT) being replaced by computing – a move that requires schools to develop students’ software and hardware skills.

Paul Newman, co-founder at Oxbotica, said: “The world is becoming defined by the code we write. It's everywhere – it brings us together, keeps us safer, entertains, drives, discovers, learns and earns. As such, we’re proud to support an outstanding educational resource that so energetically encourages the development of coding skills – it matters!"

“Autonomy provides a great opportunity to excite and shape our future world; encouraging this discussion and debate in our class rooms will inspire the next generation of talent to help this become a reality for us all,” said Vincent Branch, chief executive for Accelerate, XL Catlin.

Chip Cunliffe, director of sustainable development, XL Catlin, added: “As a global (re)insurer, building future-focussed risk solutions that help business and society adapt to the ever-changing technologies evolving our world is part of our mission. Educational outreach through high-quality education programmes like Code Smart is a natural extension of that commitment.”